There are horses, two
of whom are crippled.
The lone chestnut stallion canters
in a tight circle, kicking up clods of dirt
and rolling his terrified dark eyes. The birds
have all flown away.
If you want to enter,
you can, but only
for a little while. It’s not easy
to keep bridges maintained.
Past the gate, the courtyard
is paved with flat stones: scales
of a sleeping animal.
The castle is all deserted rooms.
Here’s one with a tarnished mirror
whose silver surface
is the exact shape of a door
or a lake you could fall into
and rest, your back dappled
by clouds.
Beautiful imagery