Fast Rode the Knight

Knight's ride - Viktor Vasnetsov

Today’s horse poetry is by Stephen Crane and it was published in War is Kind & Other Lines in 1899.

Fast Rode the Knight

Fast rode the knight
With spurs, hot and reeking,
Ever waving an eager sword,
“To save my lady!”
Fast rode the knight,
And leaped from saddle to war.
Men of steel flickered and gleamed
Like riot of silver lights,
And the gold of the knight’s good banner
Still waved on a castle wall.

A horse,
Blowing, staggering, bloody thing,
Forgotten at foot of castle wall.
A horse
Dead at foot of castle wall.

Sweet Dreams

This poem is another tearful look at the consequences of war on our equine pals. Be sure to also check out some more cheerful rhymes in the horse poetry section.