The Refuseniks

Over time, "refusenik" has entered colloquial English for person who refuses to do something, especially by way of protest.

                                                    --Oxford English Dictionary,(online). Oxford University Press.



suddenly gallop up the hill
Mt. Scott with snow--

they
up there with Russian olives
no leaves, no shelter, really.

Their outlines like the trunks
of windy trees.  Two horses
one chestnut, one walnut.
Their coarse and tiered manes
muddy hooves, sloe eyes inward.

I will never know them (but)
they will know me.

I try to call to them:  horsey, horsies,
beauty, beauties!  They do not respond
no matter how loud or soft I call.

I will not be theirs
they will not be mine
in spite of summer
when Daisy and I walked up there
with Mom and we could see
Janet had been there--
they had been fed
& I could pet the chestnut
because coming close is still
a kind of wait to go again.