Student Publishing Program ::

Anna Neumann

Horse Eyes

The sun had just begun to set on
That summer day that I came across the Horse.
Curiosity…
So I approached the Horse.
I stood still in front of it.
And as I would with any human in conversation,
I set my eyes directly upon those of the Horse.

Never had eyes seemed so sad,
I first thought.
But yet… never had eyes looked so Wise.
It was as if two parallel lines
Had linked between the Horse’s eyes and mine,
Holding us both still in this moment
Face to face.

Two pools of dark and deep water,
Smooth and glassy…motionless.

And as light fell across the sleek surfaces,
The Horse’s eyes danced with a deep auburn warmth.
Never had eyes looked so inviting,
As if this Horse wanted me to climb on his back,
And to ride through the long, lonely fields ahead with him…
Not alone…but with a companion.

I continued to look into these brilliant eyes,
And as I did, I felt as if I could see more than just
Sadness and Wisdom.
I could see fear, compassion, cautiousness…
But most of all, curiosity.
The same curiosity that I felt running through my veins as well.
In that moment it wasn’t hard to believe
That this Horse was indeed as Wise as any human,
And that the same thoughts in my head
Were the same as in his,
Captured behind two silent eyes.

I was scared that I would never be able to really know.
I’d never be able to know if that Horse
Felt as still as I did in that moment,
As if the world stood frozen under our souls.
No matter how hard I gazed,
Our worlds were kept divided.
If only a horse could just say,
Yes, I do feel frozen
In this moment
Right here with you.

And as I began considering walking the distance
Through the fields on my own,
I slowly moved my cold hand toward the bridge of his nose,
And slid my hand down the smooth slope.
I moved beside the Horse and climbed onto its back…

And as we both together set our eyes upon the horizon,
Beyond the stretches of the infinite fields…

I held on tight for the ride ahead.

[TABLE OF CONTENTS, LHS CLASS OF 2009 EDITION]