“The White Horse” of Constable

In “The White Horse” of Constable

the sky is threatening us,

dark waters of the Stour.

A white horse waits to be

ferried, commands its own boat

like Napolean in red and white.

The colors of a house nearby

its chimney, the scallops of clouds

Constable loved –

Outdoors, a pastora0l scene

old planks and boards, and muck,

a thatched hut to protect

the hay rick perhaps, his crooked

painter’s hat tips its etiquette

a feather, where he sets his easel.

To the outward look of trees

and their muddy shore

where a man could leave his imprint.

Paint in honest work, the sky

the sky its ceiling, the earth, a little

of the Skagit Valley floor.

Michael Magee

Michael Magee is a poet and playwright whose poems and plays have been published and produced here and in England. His most recent book is Crowed (MoonPath Press 2026). Previous books include Shiny Things and Budapest After Dark. His work appears in Verse Daily, Cirque, and Open Book. He lives in Tacoma. 

For information, visit https://moonpathpress.com/MichaelMagee.htm or email mmpoetry@gmail.com.