[This poem was written a number of years ago based on a close encounter I had with the wild horses on the upper Outerbanks in the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge while visiting there with my family. I submitted the poem to unpsychology magazine, an ecopsychology journal based in the U.K, in the winter of 2019-2020 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was recently published in their issue 6 with the theme of connecting with the other-than-human world. The journal issue is currently available here online. I’m sharing the poem below for easy access.]
Early morning cries
from floating gulls
a distant rumble
faint yet growing
Moving from brackish marsh and dune
over spit of Currituck sand
bridging bay to ocean
Are these the true nomads approaching?
Mares with their stallion,
newborn colt,
and fillies glistening in the sun
Manes and tails held high
hooves thundering
untouchable near salty sea
One morning I find them
a family in the garage (I left the door open)
hiding from biting black flies
Reaching toward them respectfully
I touch soft hide
Stomping concrete they turn
see me
and nod
Our agreement is this:
Mustangs rest and roam where they please
I may watch and smile
knowing this is a place among people
where wild horses reign
