Dark still. Twelve degrees below freezing.
Tremor along
the elegant, injured right front
leg of the gelding on the cross-ties. Kneeling
girl.
The undersong of waters as she bathes
the leg in yet more cold. [tongue is broken]
[god to me]
Her hair the color of winter wheat.
Reproduced with the permission of Houghton Mifflin Company. Copyright © 2002 by Linda Gregerson. All rights reserved.