The Phar Lap poem...

[Werdun]

A big thank you to Monique who had a copy of the poem I was after (and who typed it out). It is such a nice poem, (and IMO, underrated) I wanted to share with you all...

Where the thoroughbreds immortal
Graze in pastures evergreen,
And the steeds of song and story
Feel the touch of hands unseen,
There’s a whinny in the distance
And a pawing at the gate
As the big stout-hearted Phar Lap
Joins the Legion of the Great.

Where the great Domino is ranging
Over acres rich and fine,
And the coats of Sweep and Colin
In the brilliant sunlight shine
There’s a snorting in the shadows
And a pricking up of ears,
As another racing stalwart
On the borderline appears.

In the thoroughbred Valhalla,
Where the bravest-hearted go,
And there aren’t any seasons
When the bluegrass doesn’t grow-
Where’s there no fierce grind of training,
And no further stakes to win,
There’s a stirring in the paddock
As another canters in.

In the Paradise of Horseflesh,
Where the gamest of the game
Frolic through an endless summer,
Done with glory and with fame,
Where no barriers spring upward,
And no turmoil fills the air,
Sysonby, Regret and Fair Play
Turn and greet the “Red Flash” there.

Up beyond the eyes of mortals
Where there’s ne’er a muddy track,
Where there are no gruelling stretch- runs
And no added weight to pack-
Where the kings of far-flung ovals
Play and Scamper as they will,
There’s a neighing as the giant
Phar Lap gallops o’er the hill.

Where there are no “culls” or “cast-offs”
And no quitting “also rans”-
Wher all horses have a record
Treasured by the racing fans,
There’s a pawing and a neighing
Where the lion-hearted roam,
And a whinnying of welcome
Phar Lap-“Big Red”- has come home!!


Katherine
www.freewebs.com/werdun

"A ship in the harbour is safe...but that is not what ships are built for."

[yaears]

And the poet who wrote it is?

[Funkbunny]

That is a lovely poem.
Thanks for sharing it with us


TM

Poverty is owning a horse... I like being bankrupt which is why I own two....

[Werdun]

Yaears, I've never seen it credited to anyone. It appeared in the New York Sun, but that's all I know about its origins.

Katherine
www.freewebs.com/werdun

"A ship in the harbour is safe...but that is not what ships are built for."

[yaears]

Werdun the first stanza is very very familar- out of the dim recesses of my mind-must have been in a horse book sometime ..and that would be a longtime ago.