… with promises of ponies …
In exchange for my silence,
you promised me a pony.
***
Although you never did buy that pony, (thank god for that),
I remained silent upon that desperate wish.
***
There were often promises of ponies -
they never materialized;
***
Maybe if they did,
you were afraid I’d gallop from your grasp.
***
At first it worked -
I lost my voice in anticipation of that pony.
***
Turns out in the end, I didn’t need
promised ponies upon which to gallop away.
***
Empty words were enough,
when I found my own hoofbeats.
***
You never anticipated how empty promises
built my horsepower.
About the Creator
KJ Aartila
A writer of words in northern WI with a small family and a large menagerie.
My Substack
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Keep reading
More stories from KJ Aartila and writers in Poets and other communities.
Comments (5)
This is fabulous. Well done.
Oh my word, so few words to say so fricking much!! And that last line felt like a detonation. This was amazing. I also want to give you a hug :)
You never anticipated how empty promises built my horsepower. WHOAAAAA this line was so powerful! I loved it so much!
Like yourself, I love horses. They are beautiful and majestic. I love to watch them run. Your poem was enthralling. 💖
I love how ponies become not only the subject but also an extended metaphor for so many aspects in your poem.