Like the easily startled deer,
A horse is prone to fear.
Millennia of being prey,
Has built an instinct to run away.
I'm sure you can understand,
That courage and fear go hand in hand.
In 2011, Tonk the stallion,
Was worthy of a medallion.
He ignored the call to flight,
And chose to stay and fight,
When a 700 pound grizzly bear,
Appeared out of thin air,
And chased an 8 year old boy,
His father's pride and joy.
Tonk's rider was Erin Bolster,
She had no weapon or holster.
Her last name means 'to support',
But you never would have thought,
She'd look the bear in the eye,
And let out a valiant cry,
"I'll not stand by,
And watch this boy die! "
Now Tonk was 18 hands in height,
An angel dressed in white.
He chose to stay and fight,
When other horses took flight.
Three times this brave pair,
Charged headlong at the bear,
Staring into his fearsome face,
Until at last he left the place.
Afterwards Tonk could not stop shaking,
He'd been so close to breaking.
Those scary looking jaws,
And mighty sharp claws,
Had made him so upset,
His coat was drenched with sweat.
So the bravest animal I know,
Is similar to a nervous doe,
It's a white Percheron draft horse,
Called Tonk of course!
David Letterman let the world know,
When our heroes appeared on his show.
This gentle giant made so many smile,
And forget their worries for quite a while.
Another heart-warming poem from the stable (sorry, couldn't resist!) of Stephen Katona. Thank you, Stephen - for bringing us amazing human-animal interactions and always with an inspiring twist.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Stephen, as usual you have come up with another story from the animal kingdom. Many of your heroes and heroines can put the intelligent man to shame! Your rapport with these dumb creatures is just amazing! With keen observation you bring to light the unique characteristics and the extra ordinary feats of your animal companions! Your poems make us think that animals are not just dumb creatures, but beings of superior endowments than we take them to be! Enjoyed this beautiful story!
Thank you Valsa for your lovely comments. All this lovely feedback is a great motivator to write more.