Horse playing the accordion

That’s something you don’t often see
as the courtesy car goes past
the low steps of the Festival hall:
a horse playing the accordion.

A beautiful black horse’s head
so elegant and refined: its profile
would break your heart if he turned
or lifted his hands from the accordion

which is red and yellow, quite dainty
and his tunic – like a medieval page –
a dried blood red – his stockings
below his knee breeches white and red

Saturn rings – everything is pathos
Everything so designed to bring together
the horse playing the accordion
with a hat – black, wide-brimmed –

for donations, casually at his
feet or hooves. Let me out.
I want to give everything in my purse
to the beautiful horse and his accordion.