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At YMCA Camp Wilson I expected to be a cabin councilor
I was assigned to help with horseback rides and the barn
the director loved training, riding, and shows.
'Smokey' had beautiful luxury long dark hair and was
straightforward explaining the little I needed to know:
daily brushing and feeding;
the salt lick is necessary for their health;
a pick is used to clean hooves;
horse shit doesn’t smell;
most importantly, never leave open the door of the barn--
a horse sees that and decapitates running home.
Lessons for campers were stirrups, reins, and 
walking around a ring
Queenie was a broad-mattress mare for the kids most scared.
Bellefontaine summer evenings after supper
Smokey led counselors on rural Ohio cornfield rides.
I slept in the nature barn 
me and the stuffed owl and a few other things
maybe a few weekend beers or some pot definitely not much
and work is lucky when it’s good
and life is a satisfying surprise 
look back to see.