mud

Sinking further into the mud
with every effort to escape,
she is trapped,
lying on her side,
muzzle barely above the water.
She lies for hours
before help arrives.

But how to drag
near a ton of horse
from the treacherous drying dam?

Machines are summoned –
tractor, excavator.
But struggling, she sinks further.
Nose now under water,
there is no time for a sling,
in desperation a rope under her jaw,
around her neck,
to the tractor.

Gently, gently…
and with a great sucking pop
she is free.
Her imprint in the mud
slowly fills with water,
like a plaster mould
for making a horse.

Still lying on her side,
water gushing from her nose,
she is out of the mud
but not out of the woods.
The vet stands by the tractor
rifle in hand.

But she snorts, staggers,
and stands.

I wrote this a while ago, during the drought when my neighbour’s dam was almost dry and one of her Clydesdales got stuck in the mud. I wasn’t actually there for it, but I got the story over gin and tonic afterwards. I’m posting this for dVerse open link night. It feels like it’s sat waiting long enough.