White Horses

I saw them plunging through the foam,

I saw them prancing up the shore—

A thousand horses, row on row,

And then a thousand more!

In joy they leaped upon the land,

In joy they fled before the wind,

Prancing and plunging on they raced,

The huntsman raced behind.

When this old huntsman goes to sleep,

The horses live beneath the waves;

They live at peace, and rest in peace,

Deep in their sea green caves.

But when they hear the huntsman's shout

Urging his hounds across the sea,

Out from their caves in frenzied fear

The great white horses flee!

To-day they plunged right through the foam,

To-day they pranced right up the shore,

A thousand horses, row on row,

And then a thousand more.

—Hamish Hendry.