Friday 24 November 2023

Napoleon Rode a Grey Stallion Called Marengo

 

Napoleon Crossing the Alps on Marengo


Napoleon Rode a Grey Stallion Called Marengo*

 

Grey horses are magical and also not, think thoroughbreds

how many times have you put money on Silver Shadow and not collected?

Pegasus was grey - he could flap his wings and fly as well as gallop

spying a grey horse in a field brings good luck

(so does a breeching whale looking you in the eye)

many a possessed storybook child has taken flight on a mystery grey horse

appearing in an apparition beyond the rose garden’s picket fence

sixth senses aligning follow me mount me

effortlessly under the willow tree

ride me bareback to heaven clutching my flowing mane

the first pony I called my own was a grey mare named Wendy

I was eight, she was 14.2 hands high, almost a horse

 

 

Napoleon’s grey Arab stallion, Marengo, was 14.2

apparently, he rode like a butcher

slouched with his toes lower than his heels

slipping around on the saddle so much he wore holes in his breeches

He rode for pleasure as well as necessity

I’ve seen Napoleon’s bed in Versailles

he was really short for a guy who ate so much chicken

there’s no mention of war horse Marengo on the Imperial stable records

a mystery in itself and many oil paintings

but I guess if a grey horse finds you in Egypt, ride it

ride it like a butcher to battle and back 

to Joséphine and Chicken Marengo

only three percent of horses are grey



Jane Bloomfield
Collection 2023

*I honest to Josephine had no idea Ridly Scott was about to drop his Napoleon epic 23/11/23, when I wrote this Napoleon poem a few weeks ago. Great minds, eh!! Jane x

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