Think of anatomy as a refuge,
palpable, certain.
Finding a precise alignment
to convey a path to the heart.
Consider the curve
of the slender gracilis muscle,
like an unfurled ribbon
crossing the inner hip and knee.
An artifact of evolution,
gracilis runs in a straight line
in bent-knee quadrupeds.
When humans stood upright,
and our knees extended,
gracilis, bound by fascia,
stayed behind.
Guided by its rider,
the horse gathers up speed
and leaps with a power
beyond human measure.
Horse and rider in perfect union,
loose and completely relaxed,
like a child connected to its mother
before its first breath.
*Losgelassenheit—a German word, literally, the quality of having loosened and let go, conveying a union of horse and rider.
Photo Credit: Steve Byrne’s Photos Flickr via Compfight cc
