Bogdan Chmielnicki sits astride a horse
A magnificent statue in Central Kiev
To a monumental Ukrainian figure
A George Washtington-style liberator
He took it to the Poles in the 1600's
A lone Jew glances at Bogdan on his horse
Forgive him his disgust, of course, for
That Cossack and his army murdered
Nearly every Jew in Kiev -- on their way
To killing 600,000 Jews, one-third
Of the Jews then in Europe, during an
Unprecedented Reign of Terror...*
Leave Chmielnicki astride his horse
Let Ukraine celebrate Bogdan
~ without one ounce of remorse
_________________________________
*Chmielnicki's Reign of Terror is known
by the abbreviation 'Tach v'Tat,' which is
short form for the Hebrew calendar year
corresponding to 1648-49. The Cossacks'
genocidal campaign lasted through 1660.
Squinting, straining ocular muscles
unveils a lonely, battered beacon
astride distant shores, welcome signal
to weary sailors bleary-eyed
I rode a painful trail,
because not doing so curtailed
Biting hard on Areion’s bit,
all else in life assailed
With blinders on I forged ahead,
whose route my will complied
Its ledges steep, all fear below
—my destiny astride
(Villanova Pennsylvania: September, 2019)
Astride an Owl
she travels the night
sharing sweet dreams
making everything right
the night may be dark
so you may not see
the dream dust she spreads
to keep your mind free
Finger grips make her relent,
Mimic the long seduction,
Hard edges quake make her tremble,
Softening the walls to pulse;
Succumbs to the moments joy,
Fused to her passionate mate,
Quivers in pure surrender,
The ride surges to climax.
Fragile animal instincts;
Tamed by his squabbling strides.
Deliverance of
Sensuous passion sees them
Face to face, astride
http://www.thehighlanderspoems.com/love5.php
To sit a horse in winds of force
With whiskers blowing in the face
Of risking knowing it's a race
Through hills and dales of clinging gorse
To save a little face without remorse
Before the sun has run its course
But mostly just to sit a horse
and feel the mounting joy
beneath my trembled legs
As feelings spread to mind equine
And all our world is ever fine
On dancing hooves I feel are mine
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