A painting of the ocean and sky with clouds.

Horse Carrousel in front of the Eiffel Tour in Paris, France

Ellie Reyn Saves the Carousel Horse

Around a corner, in Paris, a house, 5 floors high,

Lives a girl dreaming of horses riding the night sky.

The wind in her face she rides in delight,

Ellie Reyn, her brown hair, waving, with no end in sight.

 No ribbons, bows, clips to tie her tangle of hair,

 Together they ride free through the midnight air

Til the stardust falls on her night pillow below as

Sleep overcomes, happy, her blanket of magic all aglow.

This one early morning, around a corner of Paris, 5 floors high,

She awakens to the razzmatazz of music nearby.

Springing from her bed, her window flies open

She leans far over, “What is the commotion???”

Horses, oh, so many horses from her dreams in the stars,

Dance round and round to the music not far.

They gallop, they trot and jump up and down,

A carousel of lights and music… what a delightful sound!

She flies down the stairs from her house, 5 floors high

On to cobblestone streets, her nightgown, all awry.

Turning the corner she stops in her tracks,

A vision of horses, adorned in jewels, all down their backs.

Ellie Reyn’s brown eyes spot her favorite, above all.

This horse befitting a queen, on her way to the ball.

With one leap she climbs in the saddle with ease,

Her heart growing bigger with each rein pulling squeeze.

Tassels, jewels, braided ribbons and bells

Adorn the carousel horse, as it shows and tells

Of a story, being held down forever by a pole

Never to be free, no never, or so I am told.

A centuries old story to which men were on horses

Going round and round showing their forces.

A game of jousting, spearing a ring target on display,

So becomes the birth of the carousel horse ride of this day.

Steam engines drive horses to go up and to go down,

Making the carousel famous, the center charm of each town.

Day after day children hold each horse pole tight,

Unaware of no freedom of the horse… What a sad plight!

So, Ellie Reyn in Paris, from a house, 5 floors high

Whistles a tune dreamed up from the night sky.

The horses awaken, ears pricked and twitching,

The years tethered to the pole, at last, are unhitching.

Saddle straps, stirrups and a bit disappear,

As the bells, ribbons, bows and clips, all drop free and clear.

Her horse rears up, leaping into the night sky,

happy, free and able to fly.

As her hands gently caress and hold round the neck tight

Her horse mane and brown hair entangle in a magical flight.

Born one and together, now, from dreams, through and through

a girl and a horse spark a friendship, loving and true.

January 4, 2021


30 Day Sumi-e Brush Painting Challenge

June 2014

Cool summer air clears my room, the high night sky

darkens and I leave the days’ storm at my feet.

My ink brush quick, light draws the words out

oh, fireflies your heart burns bright

I will follow your evening light all the way up the mountain.

  • Lone Pine

  • Waters’ Edge

  • “Little Pinks” – Plum Blossoms

  • Hawk in the Wild Sold

  • 30 Blessings

  • Wisteria I

  • Look Up

  • Wisteria II

  • Another Pine

  • Winter Mountain

  • “Sing On”

  • Orchid and Rock