Scenes so Natural

In these scenes so natural
find vignettes of life
beyond the confines of
sterile urban living,
wherein cut off
from all things animate
we rot in disconnection
from creation’s nourishment.

***

I
Carriage horses unharnessed
canter Sussex meadow
in tandem harmony,
pivot,
address the fence
and bow in perfect unison
to passing omnibus,
then trot away,
their choreography to
again reherse.

II
Stags in rut
fight
for harem rights
in a field along I-94,
motorists fascinated
pull over to observe
this elemental joust.


III
Branding time outside of Redding.
Three bulls in corral
smelling fear and singeing flesh -
nervous understandably.
Herefords gang up on
the Lincoln Red,
who then seeking outlet
crashes wooden fence.
Without benefit of toreadors,
young cowhand learns
first-hand
the weight of panicked bull.


IV
Moonlit Catskill Mountains’ road
stag leads harem crossing or’ -
as car approaches slowing,
addresses threat and
with massive rack of antlers
punctures driver’s door,
then moves off to tend the females,
his supremacy reaffirmed.

V
The three in fellowship,
man, and dog, and horse,
meander up village sidewalk.
Horse jumped its fence,
spooked at something,
and wandered into town,
found munching
on Masonic lawn.
No shire ranger in this village,
so man and dog escort it
quiet homeward
to its waiting paddock;
then continue on their way,
unperturbed,
as if this happened every day.


VI
Faithful Labrador sneaks
into master’s bedroom,
stretches out and
conforms his lengthy body
to sedated form,
attempting to draw off
metastasising pain.
And though he
fails in this his goal
provides subconscious comfort
all the same.

***
And so by these scenes so natural,
vignettes of life outside the bounds
of rat-race urban mediocrity,
take nourishment
from all things animate
and re-create your capacity
to appreciate creation’s greatest gifts.

James Gagiikwe © 2008