The Lighter Side of Horse Manure by Linda Drattell

If you love the physicality of language and the sounds of pure incantation, this book is for you. Linda Drattell has a keen mind’s ear that makes ordinaries rhythmical. Exquisite details of a country farm and her horse, Vegas, transform into human relationships and deep connections in things. Her egalitarian worldview pays attention to the tiniest creatures, such as swallows, squirrels, and even flies! Her poems give brilliant voice to the unnoticed surrounding us.

–Eunhee Soh, award-winning poet

The Lighter Side of Horse Manure will tug at your heart. While the title is humorous, the poems in this collection deliver scenes that combine both humor and a deep empathy for Linda Drattell’s beloved horse, Vegas. When the barn manager lists all of the horse’s frailties and says, “Nothing good can come from taking care of that old horse,” Linda replies she’s not ready to give up on him. Their connection is undeniable. Vegas muses, “We’ve got one shot at life yet you share yours with mine”. Whether it’s “fly season, fire season, mud season, or dust season”, they will be together, “whinnying our hearts out without a care.”

–Constance Hanstedt, award winning poet and author of Treading Water and Don’t Leave Yet: How My Mother’s Alzheimer’s Opened My Heart

From its clever title to its touching final poem, this collection showcases Linda Drattell’s knack for connecting readers with the diverse facets of the equestrian world. Through her eyes, we explore the commonplace, indulge in humor, and confront the bittersweet realities of aging. As Drattell writes, “These days Vegas moves at a measured pace,” but her collection gallops with a brisk celebration of life. You will yearn for more of Drattell’s beloved Vegas long after the final poem has trotted into the sunset.

–James Morehead, Poet Laureate of Dublin, CA

Whimsical and filled with a perfect blend of silliness and love of the trail, this horse-lover’s collection offers the kind of delightful ditties that long to be shared around a campfire or at a cowgirl bar on open mic nights. A sweet read for anyone who’s spent a lot of time mucking out stalls only to find relief in the fragrance of fresh hay.

–Betsy Graziani Fasbinder, author of Filling Her Shoes and Fire & Water