“Mare”

“horses/donkeys” “headed towards” “the new paddock”
“delicious” “purple flowers” “over there” “gate open”
“oh” “gate” “gate open” “oh“ “oh” “gate”
“open” “the wind” “tries” “to dislodge” “everything”

“sweep it” “into” “the next valley” “the next” “maybe”
“all the way” “into deserts” “beyond these tablelands”
“Mudgee” “Dubbo” “trees say” “but no” “they’re
staying” “house is not” “going” “the mare” “pretends”

“she tries to fly” “without her wings” “horses had them”
“once” “her” “tender brown” “velvet muzzle” “soft as
earth” “my hand” “meets” “her face” “in my dreams”
“my late thirties” “here” “she is a plastic animal” “in a

grid of paddocks” “a long way” “away” “you want it”
“to change” “too quickly” “you think“ “storms” “in
sunlight” “you think” “going crazy” “if this mountain”
“doesn’t shift” “all at once” “the sky” “changes” “or

doesn’t” “change” “you” “horses” “gates all open”
“mountains” “the sun” “races” “to change it” “clouds”
“streak” “across it now” “trees turn darker” “a star
appears” “the property” “takes care of itself” “you”

“now grateful” “to be here” “I’m staying” “here” “I’m
old” “the shed” “just the shed” “I’m staying” “just a
shed” “nothing more” “gate open” “peeling back” “the
broken wood” “let me live” “let me” “inside” “myself”