Riding A One-Eyed Horse

by Henry Taylor

One side of his world is always missing.

You may give it a casual wave of the hand
or rub it with your shoulder as you pass,
but nothing on his blind side ever happens.

Hundreds of trees slip past him into darkness,

drifting into a hollow hemisphere
whose sounds you will have to try to explain.
Your legs will tell him not to be afraid

if you learn never to lie. Do not forget

to turn his head and let what comes come seen:
he will jump the fences he has to if you swing
toward them from the side that he can see

and hold his good eye straight. The heavy dark

will stay beside you always; let him learn
to lean against it. It will steady him
and see you safely through diminished fields.

Analysis Formalism in Poem Henry Taylor’s Riding A One-Eyed Horse

By : Group 1
- Ali Hasan (17320004)
- Azka Aulina (17320011)
- Yahya (17320012)
- Dela Afkarina (17320030)

From Taylor’s earliest mature collection, An Afternoon of Pocket Billiards, “Riding a

One-Eyed Horse” epitomizes two of the poet’s seminal traits: equestrian themes and formal
structural regularity. Taylor has observed of his own writing, particularly the poems in An
Afternoon of Pocket Billiards, “I think in terms of analogies to equitation when I’m writing.
Nerve and touch, and timing.” In “Riding a One-Eyed Horse,” the reader comes to know just
what he means. A poem of four four-line stanzas, the poem reflects structurally the cadenced
rhythm of a well-trained horse’s gait, suggesting parallels to Taylor’s own belief in the
importance of regularity and discipline in poetry.
 As with human friendship, the bond that exists between humans and animals can
sometimes contain secrets. The hidden mysteries between humans and animals are ironically
open because humans tend to talk about the inward discrepancies of their pets with others in
front of them. In the poem, "Riding a One-Eyed Horse," by Henry Taylor, the narrator creates
a peaceful tone that flows throughout the poem as he/she somberly instructs a potential rider
how to ride his one-eyed beast. It's questionable as to how much the horse understands this
situation.

The relationship between humans and animals can sometimes contain secrets as
Taylor is riding a one eye eye horse riding blind like a human friendship. The mystery hidden
between humans and animals is ironic. Because people tend to speak in front of them about
the inherent differences between their pets and others. In the book by "Riding Eyes" by
Henry Taylor, the narrator is making a peaceful tone through poetry because it is melancholic
because the potential rider shows how to ride a beast of one eye.

As long as you have the right equipment and know how to ride a horse, it is easy to
prepare to go horseback. Please wear trousers, boots, horse riding helmet before riding. Place
the mat and saddle in the horse's back and put the gum in the horse's mouth. To get on a
horse, bring the horse closer to the left side, place the left foot on the left side of the stable
and pull on the horse. Now you are ready to take a ride! Please wear horse riding helmet
before you ride a horse. A helmet is one of the most important riding gears because it is
protected when it receives shock or when a horse takes off. Use the tape measure to measure
the head size and find the size of the helmet. Most helmets have a liner on the inside that
helps the helmet fit your head. Place the helmet on your head and if it is shaking or too tight
please try the new size. Once you have found the correct helmet, buckle up and down and
adjust the strap to secure the helmet in place.

The relationship between humans and animals can sometimes contain secrets as
Taylor is riding a one eye eye horse riding blind like a human friendship. The mystery hidden
between humans and animals is ironic. Because people tend to speak in front of them about
the inherent differences between their pets and others. In the book by "Riding Eyes" by
Henry Taylor, the narrator is making a peaceful tone through poetry because it is melancholic
because the potential rider shows how to ride a beast of one eye.
 Alliteration is meant to be more than a tongue twister, though. It's used to emphasize
something important that a writer or speaker would like to express. It is a term to describe a
literary device in which a series of words begin with the same consonant sound.
We can see alliteration in this poem:
1. One side of..... (the first line in tje first stanza)
2. Toward them from the.... (the last line in thrid stanza)