She was afraid of holding the horses.
But by doing it she was training to
deal with the kids.
There was this matter of control.
The classroom was a limited space
with nowhere to escape.

The arena, the conductors stage.
So read my lips: I came before you.
And those who understood my
limits know enough to know too much.

The shivering sky plays with
shadow and light.

The biting smell of horse manure
covers the fields.
The open windows don’t hold back
the disguising fog.
It’s just another early morning and
it’s got to be done.

Illustration by Galya Popova