Cowboy Poetry Week (Ode to the Cowboy Poets)
April 17th through April 23rd of this year celebrates the 16th annual Cowboy Poetry Week. The week is recognized by the United States Senate and 23 state governors. Here's a little poem to celebrate the occasion.
People around the world
Put their thoughts into prose
Contemplations, ruminations
On paper they disclose
That's what the Cowboy did
Back in those drover days
From the turning of the herd
To the turning of a phrase
He wrote about the beauty
Of a distant mountain range
The railroads and the fences
That ushered in the change
He wrote about his family
That was very far away
Or a girl he left behind
He hoped to see one day
He never would have studied
A creative writing course
Just created a living
From the backside of a horse
Wrangling Riding Roping
Beneath the bright sunlight
Writin' a few lines of verse
Underneath the bright moonlight
Today the tradition continues
From Asheville to Cheyenne
The Cowboys and Cowgirls
Who take their pen in hand
And those Cowboys at heart
They too have a lot to say
Cause even amongst the throng
You can live the Cowboy way
So to Badger Clark & Bruce Kiskaddon
Who started this foray
To Derek Duncan and Andy Hedges
Who carry on today
From the piney woods & prairies
To the high Sierra Peaks
Let's tip our hat, jangle our spurs
It's Cowboy Poetry Week!
© 2016, Jeffrey Campbell
This poem may not be reprinted or reposted without the author's written permission.
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