My cousin Helena and I rode out
Beneath a summer sky
My aunt cried, “Never face the barn -
Or home they both will fly!”
We reached the trees and pulled one rein
And turned them by mistake
Then Lady launched like thunder loosed
And set the earth to quake
No trot, no gallop carried her
She flew in headlong flight
Then dropped her nose to scratch an itch
Mid-terror, mid full flight!
Old Newton says what starts in motion
Keeps sailing through the air
And there I flew by learned decree
With no one there to care
Her head came up and I flew back
And landed on her rear
I clung there like a sack of oats
And screamed for all to hear!
Chorus
Lady saw the old red barn
All at once the world went wild
I rode her neck, then rode her rump
A forsaken, screaming child!
We told my aunt this awful tale
She laughed, “My Lady? No!”
But I still say that horse took joy
In putting on that show!