By Frank O’Hara:
Animals
Have you forgotten what we were like then
when we were still first rate
and the day came fat with an apple in its mouth
It’s not use worrying about Time
but we did have a few tricks up our sleeves
and turned some sharp corners
the whole pasture looked like our meal
we didn’t need speedometers
we could manage cocktails out of ice and water
I wouldn’t want to be faster
or greener than now if you were with me O you
were the best of all my days
[1950]
Wild horses, Shackleford Banks © Hannah Dela Cruz Abrams 2016