//------------------------------// // Nervousness in a field of grain // Story: Before Mr.Ponyman // by The Prancing Red Pony //------------------------------// Sweat trickled down Big Mac's face like raindrops on a glass window pane. "Breath in breath out" he kept saying to himself. Mac stuck his head out from behind the large purple curtain that drooped over the stage. It seemed like a million ponies watched from the many seats below eyes wide and dangerous but there was one pony Big Mac could not get his eyes off. His name was Mr. Walt Pony-man the greatest poet in all of Equestria. His great white beard dropped down to the floor and was knotted and silky like that of ancient Equestrian furs. The whiteness of his beard could only be matched by the pale green in his eyes that only shimmered when light's glistened upon them. The crowd applauded and Derpy bowed. Big Mac felt light-headed. "Now we will hear from the judge's" her voice cooed. The judge's were as follows: Twilight Sparkle, AppleJack, and Mr. Whit-Pony. Twilight spoke first "It was an enjoyable poem that I feel is about the funniest I have heard in quite a while good job" she grinned. The crowd roared with approval. Next, it was AppleJack "That was a gosh darn good poem. It is really adorable and heart warming I loved it." the crowd was very pleased and clapped further. The last to come was Mr.Pony-Man and the crowd hushed. Mr.Pony-Man supported himself with his cane made from silk black wood. He lifted a hoof and smoothed down his beard so that it would not ruffle when he spoke. His eyes gleamed in the light and then he spoke with a rough Manehattan accent. "Mr.Hooves I have been writing for almost 40 years." He stopped and lifted the glass of spring water to his lips to sooth his dry throat the crowd's breath hung still like the lull before a storm. He breathed a sigh and spoke again. "That was one of the worst poems I have ever heard" he said firmly in a soft but still assertive voice. "It is not structured correctly, it drabbles on, and sounds like a bunch of words a drunk would say on his way home from the bar while stumbling in front of ongoing traffic" and then he sat back down saying nothing more. Derpy looked on in disbelief trying not to grow teary eyed but still fighting tears back. The crowd soon resumed but in a negative tone. "Get off the stage!" some said. "That was complete utter crap" others shouted. Derpy couldn't take it and tears dripped down his face as he flew off the stage. Big Mac felt faint and began to hyperventilate and scream in his head. "Maybe I should forfeit there is always next year" he said to himself. But before he could leave the young pegasus returned. "And now Mr.Big Macintosh with his poem The Apples among the trees". Big Mac was suddenly pushed by a large Earth Pony to the center of the stage. His eyes drifted all around and tried to stay off the gaze of Mr.Pony-Man. He looked to Applejack and she winked at him as if saying "You'll do fine" he then looked to Twilight who smiled to him as if saying "Good Luck" his eyes then fell on Mr.Pony-Man who looked like he was looking into his soul. Big Mac sighed and gulped in nervousness. And then he.....began. "The leaves were as red as crimson rubies, the apples were a pale ruby, the wind whispered secrets of the old, the sky was as deep as ocean eyes, the great barrels of apples were large numerous, I pressed one against my lips and bit into it, Its red meat and cider-like taste was almost too much to bear, I then gulped feeling it cascade down my throat like a waterfall of gold, I ate no more and shuddered as the warmness of the apple juice lay in my stomach, No more was said and no more was told." Big Mac stood in an almost frozen position he watched the crowd. They were dumbstruck there eyes wide and jaws dropped it was almost frightening to say none the less. He looked at the three judges and all were just as wide eyed and surprised but not Mr.Pony-Man. Mac felt saddened and looked down at his hooves until he heard slow clapping from the crowd. He shot his head up and saw it was Mr.Pony-Man giving a slow and yet loud clap with a big grin that you could clearly see through his beard. The crowd then screamed and yelled ponies cheered and cheered like it was the Super Pony Bowl. Big Macintosh bowed before the crowd and they screamed louder and louder. Then Mr.Pony-Man raised a hand and the crowd's noise fell completely silent. He spoke in his usual drawl. "Mr.Macintosh is it? As I have said, I have been writing poetry for 40 years" he took a large gulp of water. "In my time I have heard numerous poems some good and some not as good, but yours is something special one of those diamond in the rough poems that you can only hear once in a apple-shaped moon, I believe that I speak for all the judges when saying that you have won the Equestrian Poetry Championship" he said with a bright grin. Big Mac stood in silence as he was trying to comprehend with everything that just had happened his idol just said that his poem was one of the greatest ever for any pony that is difficult to comprehend. He then looked to the right of him and saw the pegasus pony and the large earth pony from before carry a huge trophy over to him. It was a bright gold and on top was a statue of a pony in a big arm chair writing in a book. "Our new champion" the pegasus pony said into the mic as she and the earth pony lifted Big Mac's hooves into the air in which the crowd roared in approval. Big Mac felt like he was the luckiest pony ever. Afterwards, as the crowd began to disperse and things simmered down as Big Mac was backstage. "I am so proud of you big brother I knew you could do it" Applejack said nuzzling her head under Big Mac's chin. "That poem was pure amazement and gosh darn it if I don't hear you write another one of those I am gonna have to kick some sense into you!" Applejack said with a playful voice. Twilight soon went up to Big Mac "That was an awesome poem you should write more and then maybe you could publish a book full of your poetry" she said with a huge grin. "This was really hard for me but I feel like I could write more if I put my mind to it" Big Mac said. "Well see you back home" Applejack said as she began to walk off with Twilight. Big Mac let out a long sigh and then he heard a voice. "That was the most pure thing I have ever heard". Big Mac looked behind himself and saw it was Mr.Pony-Man. "Mr.Pony-Man it is an honor" he said as he bowed before the great poet. "You need not do that" Pony-Man said and Big Mac blushed slightly as if feeling rude. "Your poem really stuck out to me and I haven't heard such a poem that well constructed and beautifully sentenced in a time to long to tell" he said in his slightly thick Manehattan accent. "Thank You" Big Mac said with a slight bit of excitement in his voice. "I want to hear more from you and possibly help me write poetry at sometime" Mr.Pony-Man spoke again. Big Mac's eyes widened as he heard the words "Help me write poetry" they seemed almost like a foreign language to him. "You want me to help you write poetry?!" Big Mac said quite shocked. "Yes I haven't heard such good poetry in a long time and I am getting very old and need somebody to help me flow my words from mouth to paper" he said with a large grin from his long white beard". Big Mac could only manage one word out of his mouth "OK". "Great come visit me in Manehattan sometime and then we can work together on some poems" Mr.Pony-Man said with an out-stretched hoof. Big Mac looked down at the out-stretched hoof and slowly grasped it and shook it. "Thank You, Sir" he said and watched as the old pony walked out of theatre.