FRIENDSHIP

draught horse and pony
graze nose to nose in the field
friends of long standing

a damp morning mist rises,
hooves sink gently into sod


This haiku is written in renga form: two stanzas, one having the 5-7-5 sound unit and the other, a 7-7 sound unit. Traditionally renga are co-written by two people, but I did not do that, the poem being complete in my mind. See more renga at One Deep Breath.

Note: these equine companions live in a paddock only a short distance from Henry's house in the children's village at Camphill Special School. There are sheep in the next-door field, and nubian goats just across the way. All part of the education. The children are assisted to help with the animal's upkeep. Probably for many kids with special needs, including Henry, it's the first time they have ever had the chance to take care of another living being, an opportunity for them to give care instead of only receiving it.