When I am an old horsewoman

When I am an old horsewoman

My horse shall wear fine leather and turquoise,
And I a straw hat which doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my social security on oats and carrots,
And sit in my pasture watching my horse graze and roll
And ride him across the sunlit meadow
If my old bones will allow.
And when people come to call, I will smile and nod
As I walk past the gardens to the barn
To show the flower growing in a stall fresh-lined with straw.
And I will be an embarrassment to all
Who have not yet found the peace
In being free to have a horse as a best friend;
A friend who waits at midnight hour
With nuzzle and nicker and patient eyes
For the kind of woman I will be when I am old.
I will sneak out in the middle of a summer night,
I will shovel and sweat and wear hay in my hair
When I am an old horsewoman.

—inspired by Patty Barnhart's version; thanks to Jane Savoie for sharing