Stallion by Susan Isla Tepper

Out in the pasture 
we gallop 
the wide grassy undulating bowl—
me & the stallion 
broken to be 
a saddle horse.
Mercurial.  
This softening of men 
so much more difficult— 
an innate need to remain hard. 
We ride them, too,
something they crave
yet find unbearable:
Our soft eyes staring up.
Extracting promises,
lots of promises.

Susan Isla Tepper is a twenty years published writer in all genres.  Her current project is an Off-Broadway Play on the subject of art and life.