The Freedom of an Ebony Heart

Grazing in the meadow
everything is at peace.
My shimmering ebony mane flows behind me
as I streak across the plains.
I belong to no one
I take care of myself.
The wind gives me wings
although I'm still on the ground.
I reach the top of the hill and there I stand,
with the stature of a king looking upon his land.
I throw my dark head to and fro
and let out an ear splitting whinny.
It's music to my ears.
Something at the bottom of the hill catches my eye.
I squint my shadowy eyes in an effort to focus.
A swirling cloud of dust is heading right for me.
With a cry of terror I canter down the hill.
I glance behind to see others of my kind.
But there's something wrong.
Creatures sit upon their backs!
They hoop and holler,
“Look at that beautiful mare!”
“She'll sell for a fortune!”
I wrinkle my top lip, bearing my teeth.
I then turn and bolt away from my impending doom.
But I have confidence.
I know these plains like no other.
I swerve and zigzag through the flank-high grass.
But I am not paying attention to the ground before me.
My hoof catches on a stone and it sends me tumbling.
I crash onto my back and I struggle to right myself.
Before I can thrust my body up,
something wraps around my neck.
I let out a threatening squeal and paw at the dusty ground.
One of the two legged creatures saunters up to me.
I turn my dark eyes to its and I scream into its small face.
Before I can finish, it gives me a swift kick in the throat,
and I choke on my cries.
More things are thrown on my neck
and they drag me to my feet.
I snort and glance around at the other horses.
They all give me worried and sorry looks.
My breathing gets heavier and I struggle with all of my might.
I hear a CRACK! above my head and I rear up pawing at the sky.
I don't know what is going to happen to me,
But I know that this may be the last time I see my home.
My chest reverberates with a defeated whinny
and I hang my head low.
The cruel things laugh at me and draw nearer.
My legs are aching and I flinch as one of the things walks up to me.
It leans down and examines my leg.
“This thing is worthless,”
“She done scraped up her knees too bad.”
I glance down and see that it's right.
My knees are split open and bleeding around the caked dirt.
“Well you know what to do,”
“She won't be the last mare we see.”
The creature walks up to me and looks at my face.
I nicker softly to show it that I mean no more harm.
It then touches something cold to my forehead.
My ears perk forward as I hear a metallic click.
I look into the creature's face with fear,
and it looks into mine with a sudden pity.
It swings to the right and I hear a deafening bang!
The rope was broken in two.
I toss my head and whinnied with joy.
I took one more look at the strange creature and snorted at it.
It smiles at me and says “Get on outta here!”
Then I take off.
Back to the rolling hills I call home.
I hear the creatures cursing and yelling behind me,
but I have no worries now.
Feeling the breeze through my mane,
and the soft ground under my hooves,
I realize one true thing.
I will ALWAYS be wild,
and I will ALWAYS be free.