DESTINED FOR GREATNESS
HIS DAM WAS PURE BLUE-BLOOD
FROM IRELAND, SO FAR.
HIS SIRE'S LINEAGE TRACED
TO THE GREAT MAN-O-WAR
NO COST HAD BEEN SPARED
AND THE RECORDS ALL SHOWED
HE WAS DESTINED FOR GREATNESS
HIS STAR WOULD SOON GLOW.
THE RANCH HAD GROWN FAMOUS
FOR RAISING THE BEST
WHO HAD COME THROUGH VICTORIOUS
WHEN PUT TO THE TEST.
THE BIRTHING DAY CAME
AND ALL WERE AROUND
WHEN THE SLICK LITTLE BAY COLT
WAS LOWERED TO THE GROUND.
HE WASN'T MUCH TO LOOK AT,
ALL HOCKS AND KNOBBED KNEES;
BUT FEISTY AND GRITTY
AND STRONG AS YOU PLEASE
HIS FIRST DAY AT STANDING
MADE THOSE AROUND GRIN
BUT HIS SPIRIT KEPT SHOWING,
HE KEPT TRYING AGAIN.
AT LAST WITH FEET STURDY,
HIS HEAD LIFTED HIGH,
HE SEEMED TO BE THINKING
"WHAT NEXT DO I TRY?"
"JUST CHECK OUT THAT SPIRIT"
THE PROUD OWNER CRIED,
"THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW
HE"LL BE HEADED OUTSIDE"
"YEP, HE"S JUST WHAT I ORDERED",
THE MAN SAID WITH GLEE,
"HE'S DESTINED FOR GREATNESS,
AS ANY CAN SEE".
AS THE WARM DAYS GREW LONG
AND THE TALL GRASS GREW SWEET
THE YOUNG FELLOW LEARNED
WHAT TO DO WITH HIS FEET
HIS POOR MOTHER FRETTED
FROM DAWN UNTIL NIGHT,
TRYING HER BEST TO
KEEP HIM IN SIGHT.
WITH GRACE AND WITH POWER
HE"D OUTRUN THE REST,
OF ALL THE YOUNG HORSES
IT'S CLEAR HE"S THE BEST.
THE SPIRIT SO ADMIRED
WAS EVIDENT, TOO;
HE WON'T BREAK SO EASY
AS MOST OF THEM DO.
TWO YEARS HAD GONE BY,
WHAT A PICTURE TO SEE!
HE WAS PUT THROUGH HIS PACES
AND NEVER BREATHED HARD.
"MAKE SURE THAT THE GATE'S SHUT",
THE WARNINGS WENT OUT
"'CAUSE HE SURE DON'T LIKE FENCES
AND THE WILDIES ABOUT."
A DASH T'WARD THE RAILING
AS HIGH AS HIS HEAD;
HE WAS OVER AND OUT,
TO THE MOUNTAINS HE FLED.
HE WAS WELCOMED AS ONE
WHO HAD NEVER SEEN TROUGH,
HE JOINED THEIR FREE RANKS
THEN THEY ALL GALLOPED OFF.
A BOOK COULD BE WRITTEN
OFF ALL MEN WHO TRIED,
FOR MANY A YEAR,
TO PUT ROPE ON HIS HIDE.
HIS SPEED BECAME LEGEND,
HIS ENDURANCE THE BEST.
HE WOULD GALLOP FOR HOURS
WITHOUT ANY REST.
HIS LIFE WITH THE WILD ONES
EVENTAULLY SHOWED;
THE BUMPS AND THE BRUISES
HIS STEP FINALLY SLOWED.
'TIL ONE DAY WHILE FLEEING
WITH ALL OF HIS MIGHT
HE FELT THE ROPE SETTLE
AND QUICKLY GROW TIGHT.
STRUGGLE WAS FUTILE
AND ANGER NO WORTH;
HE WAS SNUBBED AND SOON LED
TO THE PLACE OF HIS BIRTH.
THE YEARS HAD BEEN ARDUOUS,
HIS SPEED HAD NOW FLED.
LOST WAS THE VISION
FOR WHICH HE WAS BRED.
TOO GOOD FOR THE CANNERS
WITH A FEW YEARS TO GO;
A ROPE AND A SADDLE
WOULD NOW HAVE TO DO.
THERE'S A LESSON FOR US
FROM THE ONE WHO WOULD TEACH
OF A PLAN FROM ABOVE
HE INTENDS WE ALL REACH.
FOR ALL HAVE BEEN DESTINED
FOR GREATNESS ON EARTH;
HIS DESIGNS ARE ALL BASED
ON OUR HEAVENLY WORTH.
BUT WE SHUN THE HIGH CALL
AND IGNORE WHAT IS BEST;
THEN BLINDLY WE RUN
AND FOLLOW THE REST.
'TIL LIFE'S SCRAPES AND BRUISES
HAVE TAKEN THEIR TOLL
AND WE FIND THAT EARTH'S PLEASURES
ARE NOT IN LIFE'S GOAL.
OUR YOUTH AND OUR VIGOR
WERE SPENT ON OURSELF;
WILL OLD AGE AND LAMENESS
PLACE US ON THE SHELF?
MUCH BETTER MY FRIEND,
IN YOUTH'S STRENGTH TO KNOW
THE CREATOR'S INTENTION
FOR ALL HERE BELOW.
SO HEED NOW THE CALLING
BEFORE THE SPARK'S DIM
AND RUN IN THE RACE
THAT BRINGS GLORY TO HIM.
.....David Maldaner
