Kicking and Being Broken

by Anna Arnett

I planned to post this blog as soon as I woke up today, to share a couple of poems I used last night at our chapter meeting. Well, you can see how late I am, but it's still almost like early morning for me. I haven't dressed yet, I haven't made my bed, I haven't even had more than a sip or two of breakfast. Why? Well, I've been busy. And, I get distracted very easily. Little things like checking email, answering the phone, making a few other calls, having a daughter drop by to visit--you know, things like that.

Now to the poems. Saturday, in sorting through paper scraps I found a couple of verse about a horse scribbled on the back of a 2003 deposit slip that I'm pretty sure I haven't done anything else with. I know I wrote it because it had so many scratches out and substitutions. I'd forgotten it, but it quite intrigued me, so I worked it over a bit. Here's how it turned out (so far):

KICKING

A horse can’t pull while kicking
No matter how he tries.
Nor can he kick while pulling
Regardless of his size.

Now, when we get disgruntled
And angry thoughts are pricking,
If we but pull an honest load,
We’ll have no time for kicking.


Sunday, I read it to my family, gathered in the kitchen, and Steve (a grandson) said he heard a talk in his ward that morning about how a horse was made for riding, but had to be broken first. We are made to be obedient, but like horses, we also need breaking to become what we are created to be. So I thought I'd play with that idea, too. Here is at least a draft:

THE MEASURE OF CREATION

A horse was made for man to ride;
By nature, he runs free.
So man must curb a horse’s pride
And teach humility.
We call it ‘broken’ when inside
A horse accepts duty.

God made man, gave earth as school
To teach obedience.
By nature man resists God’s rule
And follows carnal sense.
With ‘broken heart’ some find the tool
To glorious consequence.