The Horses of Instruction

The tigers of wrath are wiser than the horses of instruction.

—William Blake

Blake was never more on the money.

Even the ones who managed

to find their classroom

had trouble getting through the door.

They couldn’t pick up

a piece of paper or chalk,

and they could count only to 1

or 2 with the thud of a hoof.

But all the students loved to pat

their powerful necks

and ruffle their manes,

and they showed up at every class with an apple.