Paregien Branding
YOU MAY KNOW THEM
On the ground at home,
a man is dwarfed by horses –
by neighbors and friends
as sure as the hills. Calves
come to the fire - eyeball even
with the horn, I am small.
On top of the world, blue
extends beyond bare oaks
and buckeyes leafed
in clumps of shade, beyond
the Sierras we cannot see -
and we could be gods
and goddesses dancing
around each calf stretched,
rolled and released – ropes
and smoke turned loose
to find a home. We wear
grimaces and grins, canyons
cut to trust with time, with
limps and limbs when work
turned play turns work again.
On the ground at home,
a man is dwarfed by the hearts
of horses and good friends.
- Paregien 2009