With every spin of the carousel,
He wished with all his might.
To have a taste of freedom,
If only for just one night.

For a life time he had been planted firmly,
Pretty painted lifeless wood.
Within him a spirit very much alive,
Upon his platform as he stood.

Feeling dark and dismal,
Like the starless midnight sky.
Something magical happened deep within,
When he surprisingly blinked an eye.

Not believing what was happening,
He thought could this really be.
He lifted up one trembling leg,
Trying one at a time, the other three.

His eyes started glistening,
And down slid happy tears.
Uprooted he was now set free,
From his home of many years.

As he took a breath,
From his nostrils streamed a mist.
For within the midnight air,
With a chill it had been kissed.

Astonished and amazed,
His heart filling up with glee.
To the other horses still imprisoned,
He gloated and said Look at me,
I have been released,
And the world I can now see.

To his friends he scoffed,
Don't you wish you could run away with me?
But they were happy and content,
Just to be.

Spinning around on the carousel,
From there the world to see.
The other horses watched in silence,
When before them he began to transform.

His pretty colors were flying every where,
Like streaks of lightening in a storm.
I don't need any of you,
At last I'm on my own.

I pity you all he said,
Leaving the only home he had ever known.
Upon two legs he stood,
The other two in the midnight air.

He only thought of himself,
For them he didn't have a single care.
As if he had wings he flew,
Galloping into the darkness of the night.

While the other horses watched him,
As he disappeared from within their sight.
For what seemed like endless days,
Something stirred within him and was amiss.

He longed for the companionship of his friends,
And to be back home, he did wish.
Once again he wanted security,
And to step back into his empty space.

But time moved on without him,
And another horse stood in his place.
Freedom he no longer wanted,
To be with his friends he wanted so.

He only had himself to blame,
Now all alone and no where to go.
Everyday silently he watches,
As the carousel begins to spin.

Thinking about his life,
And..
What Could Have Been.

©Elizabeth Ann Bushey
September ~ 5 ~ 2006©
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