My Only Friend

In the iron grey days of the 1950's change changed everything, good or bad, Tom, who was the local coal-man for this area, a hard man of steel but kind, He tried to speak but no words would come, he just pointed, on to the road, Following his gesture, outside was a new motor lorry for his rounds, no horse. In broken and heart wrenching sobs, he said, they had taken away my old horse, He's been sold to another firm and I will never see him again, he's gone away, Tom loved that horse, his life was built around it, morning evenings, weekends, In his own time Tom would trim and groom that horse, it was his closest friend. They never said me that my dearest friend was going I had no time to say goodbye, He's probably in a new place now waiting for me to come and take him back home, I know that horse he is my only family, I bet he is really worried he will so sad He probably thinks I have deserted him because I don't love him that's not true. I bet he is in a stable, his big brown eyes moist looking around all the time, Any door that opens he will think it is me, he will be excited then really hurt, He will miss our long talks together in the evenings he used to nod his long face, He will be in a panic, like me, waiting for his dad who will never see him again. A strong man who carried tons of coal everyday he had no family only his horse, Brought up in a state run home never lucky enough to be picked by any families, His horse was his friend who new all of Toms deepest secrets, tears and sorrows, Tom left his new lorry where it stood, with heart wrenching sobs he walked away. I watched him go, there was nothing I could say there was a painful lump in my throat.