4(@:>,5: PULZ[ )V >OLU[OLIV`Z^LYLSP[[SL[OL`^V\SKIYPUNOVTLHUHZZVY[TLU[ JYLH[\YLZ·SPRLHTV[OLYZUHRL[OH[Z\YWYPZLKL]LY`VULUL_[TVYUPUN^P[OHSHYNL U\TILY VM IHI` ZUHRLZ·WS\Z [OL \Z\HS MYVNZ KVNZ L]LU PN\HUHZ 0U [PTL [OL PN\HUHZNV[IPNNLYHUKZVKPK[OLIV`Z 6ULVM:OLYY`»ZMH]VYP[L[OPUNZPZ[V[\YUHWHNLVM^LSS^YP[[LU^VYKZPU[VM\SS JVSVYPTHNLZ[OH[SP]LPUHWPJ[\YLIVVR :OLYY`PZHTLTILYVM[OL:VJPL[`VM*OPSYKYLU»Z)VVR>YP[LYZHUK0SS\Z[YH[VYZ :OLZWLJPHSPaLZPUIY\ZOLZHUK^H[LYJVSVY^P[OWLUJPS *LU[H\YY PZ[OL UPU[OIVVR:OLYY`OHZPSS\Z[YH[LK TheCentaur ThesummerthatIwastenÑ Canitbetherewasonlyone summerthatIwasten?Itmust stoppedandraisedmyknees, pawedatthegroundandquivered Myteethbaredaswewheeled havebeenalongonethenÑ eachdayIÕdgoouttochoose afreshhorsefrommystable andswishedthroughthedustagain Iwasthehorseandtherider, andtheleatherIslappedtohisrump whichwasawillowgrove downbytheoldcanal IÕdgoonmytwobarefeet spankedmyownbehind Doubled,mytwohoofsbeat agallopalongthebank, Butwhen,withmybrotherÕsjack-knife, Ihadcutmealonglimberhorse withagoodthickknobforahead, thewindtwangedinmymane, mymouthsquaredtothebit AndyetIsatonmysteed andpeeledhimslickandclean exceptafewleavesforthetail, andcinchedmybrotherÕsbelt quiet,negligentriding, mytoesstandingthestirrups, mythighshugginghisribs aroundhisheadforarein, IÕdstraddleandcanterhimfast upthegrassbanktothepath, Atawalkwedrewuptotheporch Itetheredhimtoapaling Dismounting,Ismoothedmyskirt trotalonginthelovelydust thattalcumedoverhishoofs, hidingmytoes,andturning andenteredtheduskyhall Myfeetonthecleanlinoleum leftghostlytoesinthehall hisfeettoswifthalf-moons Thewillowknobwiththestrap jouncingbetweenmythighs >OLYLOH]L`V\ILLU&saidmymother )LLUYPKPUN,Isaidfromthesink, andÞlledmeaglassofwater wasthepommelandyetthepoll ofmynickeringponyÕshead Myheadandmyneckweremine, >OH[»Z[OH[PU`V\YWVJRL[&shesaid 1\Z[T`RUPML.Itweightedmypocket andstretchedmydressawry yettheywereshapedlikeahorse Myhairßoppedtotheside likethemaneofahorseinthewind .V[PLIHJR`V\YOHPY,saidmymother, and>O`PZ`V\YTV\[OHSSNYLLU& 9VI9V`OLW\SSLKZVTLJSV]LY HZ^LJYVZZLK[OLÄLSKItoldher Myforelockswunginmyeyes, myneckarchedandIsnorted Ishiedandskitteredandreared, ÑMaySwenson TheCentaur MaySwenson illustratedbySherryMeidell UTAHSTATEUNIVERSITYPRESS Logan,Utah 2007 UtahStateUniversityPress Logan,Utah84322-7800 Text©2007TheLiteraryEstateofMaySwenson Illustrations©2007SherryMeidell Allrightsreserved ISBN:978-0-87421-648-6 ISBN:978-0-87421-672-1(e-book) ManufacturedinChina 3PIYHY`VM*VUNYLZZ*H[HSVNPUNPU7\ISPJH[PVU+H[H :^LUZVU4H` ;OLJLU[H\Y4H`:^LUZVU"PSS\Z[YH[LKI`:OLYY`4LPKLSS WJT 0:)5 HSRWHWLY 04LPKLSS:OLYY`00;P[SL 7: > * » KJ ForNateandKimĐSherryMeidell TheLiteraryEstateofMaySwensondedicatesthisbooktothosewhomadeit possiblebytheirgenerouscontributions GeorgeE.CaineandLindaM.Fontenot¥DanC.RussellandManonC.Russell LaelandMargaretWoodbury AdriaBurns¥J.MichaelBusenbark¥TaraCalancea¥KristineK.Carter¥Marcee Christian¥SusanK.Dixon¥JayandBethHall¥KathlynHall¥ChaliseSeipert DanSwenson¥PattyTanner¥JordanR.Woodbury ThesummerthatIwastenĐ Canitbetherewasonlyone summerthatIwasten?Itmust havebeenalongonethenÑ eachdayIÕdgoouttochoose afreshhorsefrommystable Myforelockswunginmyeyes, myneckarchedandIsnorted Ishiedandskitteredandreared, stoppedandraisedmyknees, pawedatthegroundandquivered Myteethbaredaswewheeled andswishedthroughthedustagain Iwasthehorseandtherider, andtheleatherIslappedtohisrump spankedmyownbehind Doubled,mytwohoofsbeat agallopalongthebank, thewindtwangedinmymane, mymouthsquaredtothebit AndyetIsatonmysteed quiet,negligentriding, mytoesstandingthestirrups, mythighshugginghisribs Atawalkwedrewuptotheporch Itetheredhimtoapaling Dismounting,Ismoothedmyskirt andenteredtheduskyhall Myfeetonthecleanlinoleum leftghostlytoesinthehall >OLYLOH]L`V\ILLU&saidmymother )LLUYPKPUN,Isaidfromthesink, andÞlledmeaglassofwater >OH[»Z[OH[PU`V\YWVJRL[&shesaid 1\Z[T`RUPML.Itweightedmypocket andstretchedmydressawry .V[PLIHJR`V\YOHPY,saidmymother, and>O`PZ`V\YTV\[OHSSNYLLU& 9VI9V`OLW\SSLKZVTLJSV]LY HZ^LJYVZZLK[OLÄLSKItoldher ... Myforelockswunginmyeyes, myneckarchedandIsnorted Ishiedandskitteredandreared, May Swenson The Centaur May Swenson illustratedbySherryMeidell UTAHSTATEUNIVERSITYPRESS Logan,Utah 2007... Text©2007TheLiteraryEstateof May Swenson Illustrations©2007SherryMeidell Allrightsreserved ISBN:978-0-87421-648-6 ISBN:978-0-87421-672-1(e -book) ManufacturedinChina 3PIYHY`VM*VUNYLZZ*H[HSVNPUNPU7ISPJH[PVU+H[H... ForNateandKimÑSherryMeidell TheLiteraryEstateof May Swensondedicatesthis book tothosewhomadeit possiblebytheirgenerouscontributions GeorgeE.CaineandLindaM.Fontenot¥DanC.RussellandManonC.Russell