Carbondale Horses

And now for a completely different kind of poem.

Carbondale Horses
By Big Frank Dickinson

Carbondale horses went out on the plains
in search of mandatory retirement plans;
but the potential reach of these nets
did not satisfy the inbred hair trigger reaction of a well-trained steed.
Nonetheless, with sun setting, and trails a blazing --
typical western scene in many ways -
they bought in; but immediately realized that
the plot had changed, as it often does, by the random interloper,
who in leaping on one carbondale’s back, rode herd over them all, and
before they knew it, into a dusty town of accountants they were.

It all got very conversational at this point,
with lots of “Oh wells”, and “Like I saids”, and “You betchas”,
which was all very reassuring for the moment, but
action demanded more than that and took one horse away,
prompting an investigation, which through flashbacks and
other clichés of that sort brought them all back to the plains -
long shot of horses in retirement dreams, missing horse on a tray.