Gift

at the limit
of my campfire’s glow
a Sioux appeared
on his painted pony
from somewhere
in the darkness all around
although they moved
I dreamed they made no sound

behind him stepped
much darker than the night
a tethered horse
that in the firelight
seemed wild as wind
a beautiful black mare
around her neck
a slender rope of hair

he sat bareback
intently watching me
eyes dark and still
while with his one hand free
he tossed her rope
on the ground at my feet
then vanished with
a movement of his knee