Exchange

Exchange

Exchange

‘Come over here’, said Turnbull, ‘till you see the sorrow
            In the horse’s eyes.
Had you such heavy hooves as these for feet, there would
            Be sorrow in your eyes too.’
 
And it was clear to me, that he’d realised the sorrow
            In the horse’s eyes so well,
So deeply had he contemplated it, that he was steeped
            In the horse’s mind.
 
I looked at the horse, that I might see the sorrow
            Steadfast in its eyes,
And saw the eyes of Turnbull looking at me
            From the horse’s head.
      
I looked at Turnbull; I looked at him again,
            And saw in that face of his
The over-big eyes that were dumb with sorrow – 
            The horse’s eyes.