*info on artist below
Little girl on the flying horse,
big blue eyes under felt-brimmed hat,
freckled face and a dreamy smile:
she rides and rides and rides.
Big long strip of tickets to ride,
calliope trilling: another world,
nothing bad can happen,
it's time to forget,
just as long as she can ride.
Ride after ride,
on the same white horse:
galloping towards Tomorrow's dreams,
lost in a trance of bliss
and hope
for as long as she can ride.
Candy cotton
as a sweetener
to get off the horse
and leave the fair,
say goodbye and leave him there
till the next time she can ride.
Barkers call,
fried grease in the air,
but they have to go;
they're leaving the fair,
child looking back
at the big white horse,
her happiest hours
those times
when she could ride.
*The Collage is by artist Fabiola D'Antuono,
whose etsy shop can be reached by
clicking on the link.
Ella's prompt for the Thursday Think Tank
this week at Poets United is: Carnival,
which jogged a few memories loose.
Thanks, kiddo, I needed that!
Nice write Sherry. I guess carnivals stir memories for us all.
ReplyDeleteI like that little girl's "ride." Nice to return to those memories! No troubles, no worries, just sweet dreams and riding the favorite horse.
ReplyDeleteRemember riding a painted pony, floating and dreaming. Your words called up images, scents, and sounds Sherry.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
I remember those long strips of tickets. I felt so 'rich' when I had them in my hand with choices to make. You really brought back memories with your poem, Sherry.
ReplyDeleteLucky girl to have had so many rides. It sounds like she fell in love with the white horse :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful memory! I love all the images you provided~ I could so see you glowing and enchanted! Wonderful to read~ :D I can see my favorite horse...the one I always wanted to hug!
ReplyDeleteI remember those rides too ~ It was another world, sweet as cotton candy ~
ReplyDeleteNice share Sherry ~
Nice feel to this one, Sherry. I love the idea of a child being able to escape into fantasy that way! Well, written.
ReplyDeleteI love the imagery. Little girl going for her dreams. Everything always seems possible...
ReplyDeleteNice imagery; I can see the little girl, looking back wistfully.
ReplyDeleteSherry,
ReplyDeleteI loved your poem very much. It captured the innocence of the little girl and what was her world of fun, as long as the fair was in town.
Best Wishes,
Eileen :)
Like an old black and white movie! The girl is vivid, the fair is vivid...the emotions like just before the camera jerks us back to the court room and the divorce. It felt out of time...very nice.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem, Sherry. I can see the little and the white horse so clearly.
ReplyDeleteLovely memories, excellent use of images to convey the little girls joyful time aat the carnival.
ReplyDeleteJust lovely - I have a special soft spot for carousels and you touched it until it leaked sweet tears
ReplyDeleteSherry!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite ride and you completely captured it here, the dreaminess, bliss and never wanting to leave :-)
"those times when she could ride..." yes indeed, i think we all long for those times again. such lovely memories evoked here, Sherry! x
ReplyDelete