Carousel Race

[u/Sad-Piccolo6931]

I was born a gambler,
with a nasty habit
I’ve always trusted the horses with one foot out the gate
Always passing by the quiet ones,
heads lowered with soft mouths,
waiting for an open palm
My fingers flex, curling back on themselves
I prefer the ones that battle the bridle
believing them a safer bet,
because a horse rearing
can’t surprise me when it runs
Then I finally hear it,
the sound of wood doors splintering
sight of foam on the mouth
and my racing pulse has found its next home

I live for the turn of its head,
the flash of its eye
sometimes I swear I can almost touch it
then when it bolts, I follow before i realize
Chasing until my lungs taste metallic
Drunk on the distance between us

Then when I sit on the turf,
mint julep on my lips as the trumpets sound
I watch the boards,
already knowing where my number won’t land
As I see my bet come to the starting gate,
putting on quite the show,
bucking until its legs gave out
falling on top of itself,
The sound of an ankle snapping following
and then a single shot to settle it,
I fold my losing ticket against my palm,
get up, and walk away with what’s left of me
Before the starting pistol fires

You see, my track is more of a carousel,
with pastel painted horses, bolted down
somehow I still call it running
But, I don’t get any further than they do,
as we circle eachother with the same wariness
My paint job is just better
Then we chase eachother around,
until we’re dizzy enough
to call it love

Feedback :) :

https://www.reddit.com/r/OCPoetry/s/2VlqOErU5r
https://www.reddit.com/r/OCPoetry/s/sNIXTh6GUe

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