A Horse Named “Unlucky”
Boys are dumb and I was one. My brother yet another… Having started our vacation in canyons With adventures beyond our imagination My brother and I headed out for a walk Into the sandstone curves of Arches’ rocks. Taller and faster he tracked on ahead And separated we became instead. Too far out to go back, without the Brother I lacked, I kept searching around ’til I found him at the edge of a sweeping bowl. And, down deep in that hollowed out hole Laid the scattered bones of a horse that Became known as “Unlucky.” Fascinated by this find, into that hole we climbed Only to leave ourselves with no escape route. After hollers and shouts, our luck too had Run out and we resolved to settle In for the night. Our backs to the wall We sat with whistles to blow Tunes as our call out for help. As day finished up and the sun drifted Down, it’s hard to know how long we Chirped. Long enough that our Mom, full Of worry, dragged Dad out to search For these dumb boys who kept running off. These whistles that they bought us For just such a cause had led them Unto our holey predicament. Mom found us In our hole, with our backs against the wall, Chirping like birds getting ready for the night. Our father she found to haul us out of The ground, too happy to scold, These boys they raised to be bold.
From the Journal of Judy Sutherlin