ONLY a fallen horse, stretched out there on the road.
Stretched in the broken shafts, and crushed by the heavy load;
Only a fallen horse, and a circle of wondering eyes
Watching the ‘frighted teamster goading the beast to rise.
Hold! for his toil is over-no more labor for him;
See the poor neck outstretched, and the patient eyes grow dim;
See on the friendly stones how peacefully rests the head
Thinking, if dumb beasts think, how good it is to be dead;
After the weary journey, how restful it is to lie
With the broken shafts and the cruel load-waiting only to die.
Watchers, he died in harness-died in the shafts and straps-
Fell, and the burden killed him: one of the day’s mishaps-
One of the passing wonders marking the city road-
A toiler dying in harness, heedless of call or goad.
Passers, crowding the pathway, staying your steps awhile,
What is the symbol ? Only death-why should we cease to smile
At death for a beast of burden? On, through the busy street
That is ever and ever echoing the tread of the hurrying feet.
What was the sign? A symbol to touch the tireless will?
Does He who taught in parables speak in parables still?
The seed on the rock is wasted-on heedless hearts of men,
That gather and sow and grasp and lose-labor and sleep- and then-
Then for the prize!-A crowd in the street of ever-echoing tread-
The toiler, crushed by the heavy load, is there in his harness-dead!
(John Boyle O Reilly)
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Based on Topics: Man Poems, Death & Dying Poems, Thought & Thinking Poems, Cities Poems, Sign & Symbol Poems, Medicine & Medical Poems, Horse Poems, Hospitality PoemsBased on Keywords: mishaps, teamster, goading, death-why, harness-dead