The Undertaker's Horse
Leslie Fish Lyrics

The eldest son bestrides him,
The oldest son rides the Undertaker's Horse.

And the pretty daughter rides him,
The Undertaker's Horse is ridden by the daughter as well.

And I often meet him mornings on the Course
The singer regularly sees the Undertaker's Horse on their way.

And there kindles in my bosom
The sight of the horse triggers an eerie emotion for the artist.

An emotion chill and gruesome
The feeling that the artist experiences is one of coldness and horror.

As I canter past the Undertaker's Horse.
The singer comes across the Undertaker's Horse while riding past it.

Neither shy is he nor is restive,
The Undertaker's Horse is not easily frightened or disobedient.

But a hideously suggestive
However, the horse is very ominous in appearance.

Trot, professional and placid, he affects
The horse has an oddly calm and steady gait.

And the cadence of his hoof-beats
The sound of his hooves are a reminder of death to the artist.

To my mind this grim reproof beats:
The sound of his hooves taunt the singer with the message that death is approaching.

"Mend your pace, my friend, I'm coming. Who’s the next?"
The Undertaker's Horse seems to speak to the artist, threatening to take them next.

Ah! stud-bred of ill-omen,
The horse is said to be a bad omen due to its origins.

I have watched the strongest go
The singer has seen the most powerful people meet their end under the hooves of the Undertaker's Horse.

Men of pith and might and muscle at your heels,
Even strong and powerful men have fallen victim to the horse's power.

Down the plantain-bordered highway,
The horse has taken its victims down the path between the trees.

Heaven send it never be my way
The artist is afraid of meeting the same fate as the horse's previous victims.

In a lacquered box and jet upon wheels.
The singer doesn't want to be taken away to their burial in a fancy, decorated coffin.

Answer, sombre beast and dreary,
The singer addresses the Undertaker's Horse solemnly and cheerlessly.

Where is Brown, the young, the cheery,
The artist inquires about a person named Brown.

Smith, the pride of all his friends and half the Force?
The artist also asks about a person named Smith, who is well-respected and admired.

You were at that last dread dak
The horse was present at the last time the artist saw Brown and Smith.

We must cover at a walk,
The singer is reminded that they must walk calmly and solemnly as they transport the bodies of Brown and Smith.

Bring them back to me, O Undertaker's Horse!
The artist calls upon the horse to bring back Brown and Smith.

With your mane unhogged and flowing,
The horse's mane is uncut and flowing free.

And your curious way of going,
The horse moves with a unique and unusual stride.

And that businesslike black crimping of your tail,
The horse's tail is straight and sleek, giving off a businesslike vibe.

Even with with Beauty on your back, sir,
Even if a beautiful woman were to ride the horse, it wouldn't change its eerie nature.

Pacing as a lady's hack, Sir,
The horse's placement would be the same, as if a refined woman were riding it.

What wonder when I meet you I turn pale
It's no surprise that the singer is frightened when encountering the Undertaker's Horse.

It may be you wait your time, Beast,
The horse is seen as waiting for its next victim.

Till I write my last bad rhyme, Beast
The artist suggests that the horse will follow them until they write their final poem.

Quit the sunlight, cut the rhyming, drop the glass
The artist is suggesting they will stop living and writing, and the horse should then leave them alone.

Follow after with the others,
The artist implies that the horse will eventually follow them to the afterlife, along with its previous victims.

Where some dusky heathen smothers
The afterlife is described as a place where a foreigner will bury them.

Us with marigolds in lieu of English grass.
Instead of traditional grass, they will be covered with marigolds.

Or, perchance, in years to follow,
The singer considers the possibility of watching the horse age and weaken over time.

I shall watch your plump sides hollow
The strong and impressive horse will eventually waste away and become thin and weak.

See Carnifex gone lame become a corpse
Even the Undertaker's Horse will face death eventually.

See old age at last o'erpower you,
Time will eventually take its toll on the horse, just as it does on everything else.

And the Station Pack devour you,
Other animals will eventually overpower the once-strong horse.

I shall chuckle then, O Undertaker's Horse!
The singer will be amused when the Undertaker's Horse finally meets its end.