Natalie Bosch is a high school student who lives and writes in Virginia. In her own words: “I work, think, sleep, live at a barn and horses are a big part of my life. I wrote this poem after I came home and my hands smelled like supplements and grain.” Natalie makes the barn spring to life with these lines.
Not a hobby or a sport; my life
By Natalie Bosch
By Natalie Bosch
The sweet damp smell of warm mash on the frigid air, you wish you’d had breakfast
The tingling in your skin after breaking through ice to the water below shocks you out of your early morning stupor
The bite of cold metal as it brushes your skin–the handle of the water bucket–your hands toughen up, calluses appear
The powdery taste of instant hot chocolate made with lukewarm water, too impatient to wait, speaks to traditions and quirks of this family we call our barn
At night, nursing the blisters on your hands from sweeping and raking you are reminded of the commitment, the pain is bearable
The coarse, thick, warm fur, ever dusty, under the curry comb and brushes,
The painful burrs that stick you even through your gloves,
The tickle of a sneeze in your nose after throwing hay down from the loft
All remind me of why I love my job
Great job Natalie…I know your dad is proud. 🙂
Great picture.