Three Horses

Next to a lake there were three horses,
and each horse had a wish.

The first horse wished 
to run in the Miss America Pageant,
to learn the many uses of 
hairspray, mousse and gel.
She wanted to understand 
the intricate language of accessories,
to perfect the wave, the smile 
and the ever-important hair flip.
In other words:
She wanted to help people 
and end world suffering.

The second horse wanted to be a postcard,
she wanted to be chosen, paid for and written on,
addressed, stamped and mailed,
received, read and then affixed to the fridge 
with a handcrafted, ceramic horse magnet.

But the third horse simply dreamed
of following two other horses
along the edge of a lake 
as it reflects all three horses 
moving in perfect stride and separation.

Dianne Bilyak ’06 M.A.R., “Three Horses” Copyright © 2021 by Dianne Bilyak. Used by permission of the poet. See diannebilyak.com