I fell for the ‘75 song Horses after watching the ‘04
adaption of In My Father’s Den: see teen-aged Jackie
crawlin’ / crawlin’ / crawlin’ ‘long the floor /
her head / shakin’ / side to side /
like a rabid / lion-dog
Oh, I tried these moves out for size—
in the comfort
of my bedroom
with my eyes closed / to stacked books / cork
board / daddy-long-legs in the corners / ghost fan club /
and gods / gods / gods did it
feel—
but only because no one was watching. There is just
something about: growing up with urge / fizzlin’ / potential /
fizzlin’ / anxieties / fizzlin’ / suppression / makin’ it hard /
to breathe / to shout / to sing / to say: oh man / just let me /
get / the words / out / of my / chest /
my throat / just wait—
this song is like 9 and a half minutes
long—like a storm is carrying it through each movement /
melding—left / right / up and down—I dance(d) to Patti’s
meanderin’ lyrics. Patti / you taught me / how / to dance /
how / to move
again
again
after runnin’ / chasin’ / losin’ /
graspin’ / hidin’ / findin’ / movin’ / facin’ /
fallin’—
just somethin’ / bout Horses /
somethin’ / bout Horses /
bout Horses
There’s / just somethin’ / bout Horses
and Patti / when I listen /
to your epic / low-rumblin’ / vibrato / Patti / an ever-present /
battle / with my body my head / melds into / the mem’ry /
the mem’ry of Johnny / Johnny / just movin’ / mergin’ with the mirror /
the mirror in the hallway just movin’ / movin’ / and now
I’m movin’—