After a Rainstorm

After a Rainstorm
By Robert Wrigley
Because I have come to the fence at night,
the horses arrive also from their ancient stable.
They let me stroke their long faces, and I note
in the light of the now-merging moon

how they, a Morgan and a Quarter, have been
by shake-guttered raindrops
spotted around their rumps and thus made
Appaloosas, the ancestral horses of this place.

Maybe because it is night, they are nervous,
or maybe because they too sense
what they have become, they seem
to be waiting for me to say something

to whatever ancient spirits might still abide here,
that they might awaken from this strange dream,
in which there are fences and stables and a man
who doesn’t know a single word they understand.

What I like about this poem?
I like this poem because I really enjoy horses. It makes me think of the animals in a magical way. It almost seems like a fantasy world where I can picture the animals running across the field. The rain creates a peaceful mood of mystery where everything seems to happen in a fog, so although it is not very clear you can see what is truly happening.

1.to whatever ancient spirits might still abide here,
that they might awaken from this strange dream,
-I like this line because it makes me think this poem is magical by using the words spirits and dreams, it creates a picture in your head

2. Maybe because it is night, they are nervous,
or maybe because they too sense
what they have become
-This line gives personality and human like characteristics to the horses which adds to the magical feeling

3. They let me stroke their long faces, and I note
in the light of the now-merging moon
-This line allows us to picture the scene of petting the horses in the moonlight in the background and just feeling very at peace with the whole situation.