Ironbar

He just appeared to me, like wispily curling Chimney smoke, One grim and early morning in the very midst of Decembers briefest days, on the highest slope, Toiling through my daily round; where, slowly Driving up past the Whitethorn hedgerows to Ascend the snowy Heys, I had carefully negotiated The wide and slowing bend to regain the summit of Grappenhalls ploughed and upper-ground. Stopping the car I stepped out to take a closer Look. There he stood: New born and rather wobbly. His long blustery mane thick and silky: Liken the Mythical Enbarr; a wide eyed expression of staring, Uncomprehending malaise written all over his Shaggy face...So wondrous was he of this icy world So rigidly bound. Perplexed - perhaps, or amazed, at the utter Desolation of this cruel place and the callousness of The Fates wounding imposition upon him...when Thrust forcefully into yonder shattered bowl - shrunken Hopelessly into the clutches of such an altogether frozen surround! Little icicles beginning to form upon his fuzzy beard; A first taste of his mothers hot milk, that, in his Awkward blundering, he must have hastily spilt When clumsily fumbling with extended and pouting lips Upon the swollen teat. The foul weather, so unfortunately Adverse, of hail and sleet, gathering more momentum - Didst indeed still prevail...increasingly growing Steadily even more worse! Stood his mother there - resolutely, as if grave Epona Depicted in a hewn chunk of Grecian rock! This Metallic pan he shivered within: The centre of his Twirling Universe designated as this one small Spot...And all it should ever contain therein. A ripping wind that snarled and savagely bit down like A pack of wild hunting dogs, oblivious to his obvious Distress, into newly formed bones, where, stretched across: Tightly pinched muscle and Tautly sinewed flesh - involuntarily flinched! Whilst all the while, not withstanding despondent Resignation, an aggrieved Spirit that silently and inwardly bemoans; Contained here...In his sparkling kingdom of barbed Wire and an irregular scattering of smoothly rounded Stones. A torturous blast that blew so raw I stamped my feet, As if a horse myself, and exhaled upon my hands, now Clasped and sore, vainly trying to reinforce myself Against the unrelenting cold; a fearsome breeze Howling in rising crescendos, unopposed, Through the blasted files of battered trees, whose Roots clawed in desperation at the thin soils of that Barren hill, leaving him naked and painfully exposed To the ruthless torments of a vicious blizzards Crippling chill! Casting hopefully about I sought to catch sight of a Kindly soul, whom, with an imploring stare or polite Shout, I could impose upon to relieve the slight laden Over the plight of the brave little Foal. Oh staunchest Mare: Thou art Impenetrable like the shield of Achilles! Grimly determined as if to refute the very elements Themselves, and dare the brazen God Of Thunder - to break! And heap upon this forged and Ferrous land when unleashing his indolent Furies - The mauve and purple clouds to violently tear asunder! For, gripped in the maw of such a gnawing ire, What could you possibly know, little man, of Comforting warmth leaping across a cheery hearth When stoked and released from the confines of a Parlours glowing fire? Or Vulcans hellish fires bursting forth from erupting Volcanoes - when spewed out blistering magmas run! Majestic fires pervading Angels disrupted heights:- They whom bear witness to the obliteration of an Exploding Supernovas doomed sun! Fire or Ice...it be all the same: One scorches within a Tightening Vice - One within a wanton flame! Tarried I a while longer, like a man unsure whether he Was to be completely overtaken by some momentous Event, And wondered out aloud: What hardened heart had Deserted this poor creature to this inhospitable Environment? The self same heart that had decreed that he, the Finest of this rare breed, should open his eyes on that First morn to find his meagre plate encumbered with Miseries so devoid, and served with inadequacies of Such spiteful forlorn; with nought to sate the ragged Edge of his desperate appetites...save his mothers Fluids; although, in urgent anticipation, should Give him good cause to keenly salivate wouldst barely Suffice the discontented juices, that unceasingly Complained aloud, to happily digest and Gratefully dissipate within his hollow bowel. It was then I suddenly noticed, slowly revealed to my Aging sight - Barely thus adjusted and focused to that Opaque light, what looked like a black tarpaulin thrown Across a bundled pile of straw, still obscured but now partially unconcealed, Dumped carelessly in a far corner recessed on the Furthest edges of this dismal field. Could this be his drafty stall? Delivered here, unseen And unheard, upon a bed of dried and bleached stalks - Enabled Like a baby Messiah amongst the Israelites! Wherein, comes the crunching night, which coils Around his cradled form with damp and insidious Vapours, he reclines against the unyielding Dam - And valiantly Fights... To attain uncontested slumber Beneath the refrain of Heavens dispassionate Firmaments; whose Great Creator counts and records His given number; The blazing lanterns, admidst rolling oceans Of abandonment and disdain, now abruptly parted - Like the sea of Galilee! Towering waves rolled back From the denuded and ageless bar: Pushed out wide - And far aside... To usher in the immutable brilliance Of one small horses lone and guiding star... And if I recall rightly, my little friend, I christened you There and then...And thereby named you - IRONBAR! God bless and keep you always little fella...For you Awakened the poet, however inadequate, within me.