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Art : My Name Is Mustang.

First, I was a horse,
proud, fierce, untamed.
testing the texture of one continent,
competing with the winds and tornadoes
to achieve the ultimate granular vortex,
testing the manhood of the Cheyenne,
twisting the blistering ropes of the Sioux,
defying the white man with bared, scornful teeth
and a rusty, booming cloud of contempt,
rearing up disdainful hoofs at his challenge
of a lumbering smoking iron donkey
trapped on it's molded rails.

Then, I was a plane,
lithe, lightweight, defined.
with a body DaVinci once dreamed of
and a clear canopy
of tense eyes and sweaty, twitching fingers
on the throttle.
Soaring high over another continent,
beaten down by polished black boots.
The elegant, rich roar of Rolls Royce,
The searing steel death of Browning,
clamping together to mete out 
justice and liberty,
higher and faster than any swastika propellers.

Then I was a car,
with clean lines and a pure promise,
born of optimism and innovation,
first brought forth under a steel sphere of the world.
My lean, youthful frame and bristling energy
beckoned to the untamed young, 
bringing elation and
the whoops of warriors
as they pony up precious pennies
to slip easily into my low slung, leather saddle
and pick their soundtrack
and flick my fresh rubber hooves
across the next horizon.
Their nubile females in splendid mating colors
ponytails wagging their eager assent
in my ever growling breeze
as I assault their narrow strips of tar.

I have thundered through untrod dust.
I have been caught only by men like Remington.
I have sailed above exploding black skies 
and landed farm boys safely to their futures.
I have raced through muggy summer nights,
blaring out my rebellion to a rock and roll beat.

I am freedom in flesh and hooves 
and wings and guns
and canvas tops and pinstripes.
I am what Art should be:
I am versatile.
I speak in a thousand ways
in a thousand forms.
I please the eye and thrill the soul.
I am ..ME.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2010




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Date: 5/24/2010 8:03:00 AM
Awesome ... good luck in the contest and your last line says a lot... this is truly brilliant Gerard... as I always expect to find in your reads... one of my neighbors owns an old mustang and its still sharp looking as ever... azure blue I think its color...with the silver horse... WHOA,....with luv from the "Sweetheart"
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Date: 5/20/2010 2:11:00 PM
wow, and this must be one of YOUR best as well, Gerard. For that one contest, right? If it does not make top ten, the judge has rocks in his head (some already do. hahaha. I should shut up now.) Luv, andrea ps. there were mustang planes???
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Date: 5/20/2010 1:37:00 PM
talk about riding the wind, boy you are a good poet. This had a lot of fun being all forms. I like the car the best. Maybe this gal should read this one out loud to her peeps. Love it along with your comment, always p.d.
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Date: 5/20/2010 12:20:00 PM
I really like the thoughts in this poem, I love Art, my husband loves charles Remington and western leather art work.
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Date: 5/20/2010 12:18:00 PM
great write!! Well written!! thanks for your praise of my non-winning sestina! You are too kind!!
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