-By Orv Alveshere-
DRAFTING A DRAFT HORSE DRIVER
It was on the 5th, I visited with Dad.
He told me of recollections, he had.
“Yes, it was 75 years ago;
Right on November 5th, I know, I know.
That day, mother had been crying, some more;
She was sad, my brother was called to war.” *
SIX HORSES AND A 10 YEAR OLD
1918, you ask what did I do?
That day, I skipped another day of school.
No, this wasn’t hooky, my parents knew;
We had a lot of fall plowing to do,
And before the ground froze again, that night,
I kept plowing, as long as I had light.
EQUAL TO THE EQUESTRIAN
Three horses were hitched together, in back;
Three more were hitched in front, as I think back.
I was holding four reins, two in each hand,
My job? Plowing a small parcel of land.
These six horses were gentle as could be;
But, all six horses were older than me.
HORSES OLDER THAN HE
Prince, May, King, Dave, Dan and a horse named Jim;
A long day, before unharnessing them;
The harnesses were heavy, there’s no doubt,
Accomplishment, is what this is about.
Raising a harness on to a high horse,
Direct proportion, to success, of course.
FAST FORWARD TO 1993
Why, it was just two months ago, or so,
Neighbor called, here’s what he wanted to know.
Did I have time to check his horse and plow?
Seems his five horses, just didn’t know how.
And would I plow a row at 85?
Horsing around, a pleasure, I’d derive.
EARTH ALSO TURNS IN FURROWS
Would I show how to drive his five horse team?
Then I drove them, they traveled well, it seemed!
He admitted: “That’s the same team and plow!
He laughed, “It was him who didn’t know how!”
So he thought his problem was the teamster
And helped by the plow’boy of yesteryear.
NOW A SENIOR PLOWBOY
Some people never drive a horse, but then,
I’ve driven multi teams since I was 10.
Driving a horse is to some just a dream.
I’ve had the pleasure of breaking these teams.
I’m a seasoned driver, I think it shows,
For I learned 75 years ago!
*World War 1 ended that day
Orv Alveshere, an award-winning writer of humorous cowboy poetry and stories, “grew up hanging on a horse.” He writes about his lifetime of adventures.
