Alone Under the Night Sky

Bret Lundstrom

A lonely horseman glanced at the last light of sunset

Beaten by a long day of riding and grinding

Swayed over a rock cliff side, legs finally off the ground

Slumped over and beaten from riding and running

His horse lay broken and gimp from riding

A constant gallop in fear of a noose

Had strained his friend

He had let him loose

Out over the plains

In fear of that noose

Spurring his sides red

With blood on his heels

He could hear the posy prey

But they scream no more

For want of blood had died

So here they lay in wait for a bit of sun

Only the moon to keep them company for the night

As well as a bit howling

Stars finally started to pierce sky

Sunlight finally leaving for the day

Constellations unknown to the horseman

Made their way across the horizon

Slowly taking their turn in the sky

Hinting at the horseman’s eye

With a slight grin playing at his cheeks

And a cold empty sense of accomplishment

His numb legs began to feel again

His horse whinnying with a shimmer of life

Rest was slightly safer now

He was free for the night

Morning would soon come for him

Along with revenge driven men

Forcing their way across the plain

For men they felt were unjustly slain

Even though he was on his back

He wasn’t in the ground