The Fastest Horse! Poem by Denis Martindale

My word, that was the fastest horse that I was born to ride!
That day, upon the racing course, its speed was hard to hide!
I gripped the saddle and the reins, locked tight with all my might,
Regardless of my aches and pains, I prayed with pure delight.
How can we lose? My thoughts began! It's like a lightning strike!
It thundered forward as it ran, just like a motorbike!
I stared ahead and took the lead, with others nowhere close!
How can we lose? We must succeed! But how? God only knows!

So fast it took my breath away! No time to tremble now!
Rise to the challenge! Come what may! No time to mop my brow!
It didn't tire at the least, each stride was poetry.
And suddenly, its speed increased, as if quite magically!
The highest point in my career! So how could I refuse?
My heartbeat soared through joy and fear. No other choice to choose!
Across that course, it could have flown, such that all doubts were gone,
The fastest horse I've ever known was famous from then on!

The racing courses I went to, no other horse surpassed.
To think that I would never view another horse so fast!
To me, it was a miracle! As if the Lord loved me!
Of all the horses I recall, it was pure poetry!
A thousand steeds would come and go, yet not one found to match,
Each race it ran, I'd smile to know it was too fast to catch!
Its rhythm set to lead the way, then faster, faster still!
My word, what's left for me to say? Except, man, what a thrill!


Denis Martindale.1st July 2025.