Lightning
the
Ideal
Donkey
by Carolyn Zniewski
Lightning won his spot being
Sporting and clever
Herding fun-loving goats in the
Mountains and desert.
He worked with the cowboys
Rounding up stray cattle,
Carried packs and water for
Countryside travel.
He met the “Burro Lady” down
Presidio way,
They joined up as partners
From the very first day.
They roamed along the Rio Grande,
Climbed the Chisos Mountains range,
Camped the ancient hidden canyons
Sleeping under starry skies.
She the lady, he the burro,
Big Bend nomads—seven years
He carried their colorful home.
Retired at fifty,
Life at Emma’s was nifty,
Bucking Helen to
Raspa for strawberry cones.
But Oh!! They are moving!
With no room for Lightning…
“I’ll take him!” said Zack,
“To an IDEAL home.”
So:
One sunny Monday
In Marathon, Texas
Zack got Ideal Lightning,
An elderly donkey.
He needed a home.
24
Cenizo
Zack hung up his shingle,
“Dos Zetas” it said,
To start on the work
That was waiting ahead.
He took up his pick
And he took up his shovel
To hand dig the post holes
For stringing up wire
To make all the fences
To build a corral
For Lightning, the Donkey
That Zack got.
He needed a home.
Zack gathered old lumber
From falling down houses
And took up his hammer
And carpenter’s saw,
A bucket of nails
And his trusty tape measure
And marked off a spot
In the corner corral.
He sawed and he hammered
To build a fine barn
For Lightning, the Donkey
That Zack got.
He needed a home.
At the end of the shelter was room for a
shed
For storing brushes and comb,
Strong rope and a halter.
More lumber, more nails,
With hand saw a-hummin’
And hammer a-pounding,
Up went a tack shed
With one special window,
And a special old door,
For Lightning, the Donkey
That Zack got.
He needed a home.
Zack measured the space
For the wide coral gate,
And found the right pieces
Of recycled lumber.
He cut them to size
For a strong handsome gate
Hung on steel hinges
And latched double-tight
Welcoming Donkeys
To come on inside.
For Lightning, the Donkey
That Zack got.
He needed a home.
Third Quarter 2014
The small barn was built,
The fencing was finished,
Zack hopped in his truck
And drove into town.
He stopped at a feed store
For six bales of hay
And perfect red paint.
Back at the homestead,
With paintbrush and roller,
He painted the buildings
For Lightning, the Donkey
That Zack got.
He needed a home.
The post holes are dug,
The fencing is strung,
The corral is all built,
The gate has been hung.
The barn is all ready
For wide-ranging weather
The tack shed and barn
Are painted bright red.
The watering trough
Sits next to the hay for
Ideal Lightning, the elderly donkey
That Zack got.
He now has an ideal home.