‘Golden Horse’ by Jacob Conley
She stood on top of a brick house looking out into the night
Wondering if he was coming to get her
When she heard the golden horse coming down the road,
She was so happy to be leaving her misery behind
The golden horse stopped below where she stood so high above
A cowboy came climbing up to get her down
He said, “Hello Jenny, did you miss me?”
She said nothing as he climbed down holding her in his arms
She just closed her eyes and leaned her head back on his right shoulder
He pulled the horse away from the house
Soon they were riding, riding, riding on into the morning sun light
You think the journey just ended,
I tell you it’s just begun unfolding across the west
MIDDLETOWN — As is the case with many male songwriters, 20-year-old Jacob Conley’s latest piece is about a girl.
Conley’s case is unique, however, as his set of lyrics recently won him second place in the grades 10-12 category of the Ohio Braille Accuracy and Creative Writing contest, a statewide competition judged on both the quality of the Braille and the creativity involved. Conley is proud of scoring high on both fronts.
“It just pops up into my head, and when it’s ready to get out, it lets me know,” Conley said of “Golden Horse,” the award-winning piece inspired by a girl he met during summer activities at Abilities First in Middletown.
The song begins with an isolated girl, standing alone on top of a brick house. Jacob then rescues her and carries her away.
“She said nothing as he climbed down holding her in his arms,” Jacob’s lyrics read. “She just closed her eyes and leaned her head back on his right shoulder.”
Kathleen Sommer, a Middletown teacher for the visually impaired, works with Conley daily.
“Jacob’s a bit of a romantic,” she said with a chuckle.
The contest, judged by the Ohio State School for the Blind in Columbus, was to promote Braille literacy with blind and legally blind students. Because of the rise in auditory learning devices, many speculate that Braille’s uses are becoming outdated.
“Braille still has a very functional, practical role to play for our blind,” Sommer said. “There are a lot of other tools to be used, but Braille continues to be an important one.”
There are about 16 students in the Middletown district being served who are visually impaired.
In Middletown High School, there are more than 300 students on individual education plans, which are written specifically for special needs students. Kids are allowed to be enrolled in Middletown’s special needs program through their 22nd birthday.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2871 or asedlak@coxohio.com.
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