Gallop On

My brown and white beauty, my great steed, my friend.
It seems that our time here has come to its end,
And now is the moment I have come to dread
Where I must release you to go on ahead.

You have been faithful, I ask nothing more,
Except for a minute like the ones before.
But your ears are lifeless, your eyes lost their light,
And it's time to surrender to this final fight.

Those feet that have carried me feel only pain.
The back I have mounted won't be burdened again.
Your tail now droops downward where you once held it high,
And you can't gallop freely, despite how you try.

But I still remember the days long before.
The trail rides and races. There won't be any more.
The days of our journeys, the horse shows and thrills.
The racing the wind and the galloping hills.

Remember the long walks just after it snowed?
And when it rained and left puddles, but of course we still rose!
You snorted and pranced to show your great pleasure-
Your hoofbeats a cadence to each passing measure.

So much time has passed, but this moment is caught
In between living, breathing, and not.
I know that it's time but it hurts just the same.
There's a crack in my voice when I whisper your name.

But I take off your halter- it's time that you go.
I can't ask you to stay here forever, you know.
With a last hug, a kiss, and a stroke of your face,
I hope to send you to a far better place.

A place without fear and a place without pain
Where all days are sunny and none of them rain.
Where you can run free with no fences or walls.
You will live in the fields - no more paddocks or stalls.

So gallop on, gorgeous. The world's at your feet.
Your eyes shine again, your legs become fleet.
Age will not matter and you will be strong.
So come now, my beauty. It will not be long.

Are you ready, my boy?  It is time you were free,
But during your journey, keep remembering me.
Erase all the problems. Erase all your fears.
And allow Heaven's wind to blow through your ears.

Paige Cerulli


Lovingly written for and dedicated to
Cute As A Button ("Buttons")

Button's Memorial Tribute