Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Cleopatra Mathis's poem “Reconciled “ is a stunning exploration of power, trust, and the reconciliation between human will and the wildness of nature. The poem’s primary image, a girl taming a riderless horse through an act of sheer will and connection, operates as a profound metaphor for the struggle to reconcile opposing forces: control versus chaos, strength versus fragility, and humanity's relationship to the untamable aspects of existence.

The poem opens with a scene of spectators watching a loose horse galloping across a field, its face covered in froth—a visual immediately charged with tension and urgency. The absence of a rider suggests chaos and a loss of control, while the frothing mouth of the horse conveys its exhaustion and heightened emotional state. These details establish a volatile dynamic, drawing readers into the drama of the horse’s plight and the human responses to it. The girl’s darting out toward the horse is described with a sense of inevitability, as if she is called not by reason or logic but by an instinctual connection to the animal.

Mathis’s depiction of the girl’s confrontation with the horse is charged with kinetic energy and tension. Her movements are described as both deliberate and desperate: she fights past the horse’s wild lunges and weaves, scrambling for the reins with one hand while trying to maintain balance with the other. The imagery captures the simultaneous fragility and resilience of human strength when faced with a force as unpredictable and untamed as the horse. The “dance” of her feet with the horse’s hooves suggests not only the girl’s physical efforts but also her attempt to match the animal’s rhythm, symbolizing a deeper attempt at connection.

The central turning point of the poem occurs when the girl successfully grabs the reins and tightens her grip. The horse’s response—a buck and an attempt to break free—is a violent rejection of control, embodying the raw, untamed power of nature. Yet, what follows is a moment of profound transformation: the horse, despite its initial resistance, “turned back to her, stunned and waiting.” This moment, where the horse yields, is both mysterious and deeply moving. Mathis emphasizes the inexplicability of this event, suggesting that the girl’s success lies not in physical strength but in an intangible force—perhaps a mutual recognition, a trust born out of the girl’s unwavering determination and the horse’s exhaustion.

The poem’s title, “Reconciled”, encapsulates this moment of transformation. The reconciliation is not merely between the girl and the horse but between opposing forces: wildness and control, fear and courage, resistance and submission. It reflects the delicate balance required to navigate relationships with the untamed aspects of the world and, by extension, the self. The horse’s stunned stillness suggests a moment of clarity, as if it has come to understand the girl’s intentions, while the girl’s ability to hold on despite her evident physical limitations demonstrates the power of persistence and connection.

Structurally, the poem mirrors its thematic content. The lines are tightly packed with action, creating a sense of momentum and urgency that parallels the horse’s galloping and the girl’s struggle. The enjambment propels the reader forward, mimicking the unrelenting energy of the scene. At the same time, the absence of a rigid rhyme scheme allows the poem to feel spontaneous and organic, much like the unpredictable nature of the event it describes.

On a symbolic level, the poem invites multiple interpretations. The girl’s encounter with the horse can be seen as a metaphor for confronting one’s fears or taming the wild impulses within oneself. The horse, embodying chaos and freedom, may represent the uncontrollable forces of life, while the girl’s determination to engage with it suggests the human capacity to face and find harmony with those forces. The poem also raises questions about power dynamics, highlighting the paradox of control: true mastery often involves yielding to the rhythm and needs of the other, as the girl does by adjusting to the horse’s movements.

Ultimately, “Reconciled” celebrates the possibility of connection and mutual understanding, even in the face of resistance and chaos. Mathis captures the profound beauty of a moment where human and animal meet on equal terms, where strength is measured not by domination but by trust and resilience. Through its vivid imagery and emotional depth, the poem reminds readers of the delicate balance required to navigate the wildness of both the natural world and the human heart. It is a testament to the transformative power of persistence, empathy, and the unspoken bonds that can unite even the most disparate forces.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...