|
|
The Rancher
|
There’s still a few ole hands around.
|
|
Who can read a cow, know where she’s
bound. |
| The slightest shift of his horse’s
nose |
| Because he is always on his toes. |
|
Will make most any cow change her mind.
|
|
Even do what he wants if given her time. |
| Many out there don’t know that cows
think. |
| Get in a panic, push to the brink. |
| Learnin' their whims &
watchin'
their eyes. |
| Handle them right, there’s no surprise. |
| Real, good, cowmen, they don’t write
the books. |
| They learned by
watchin' & elders looks.
|
| Ranchers,
'specially with gray in their
hair. |
| Taught by the Bible, know when to care. |
| Before short course & great fish
& game. |
| They love the land & creatures that
came. |
| Take mother nature, go with the flow. |
| Stock it real hard or save it & sow. |
| It says right there in that
"Great" big "Book". |
| "In moderation" … the path,
least took. |
| "Love", alone, to be spread
far & wide. |
| "Respect" & Love, they
hold with great pride. |
| May not admit it…let it show thru. |
| The real rancher knows his Lord, tis
true. |
| Their "Country" church, the
largest around. |
|
Sky is the ceiling, walls are not bound,
|
|
By limits made, with boards from the
trees. |
| The choir a blend, of bird, beast &
breeze. |
| "His" eminence, fills sky, air
& ground. |
| Reminds, to the "Creator", he’s
bound. |
| Jo
Lee T Riley©2002 |
|
| Big
Bear
|
| Was
chowsin’ steers out ‘a the timber on Brown.
|
| Lots
a Banchee-Ky-yi-in brush crashin’ sound,
|
| Topin’
a rise I run on to a bear.
|
| He
kept getting bigger, as he did unfold.
|
| His
arms raised up, way up, my blood it ran cold.
|
| A
mouth so big and a noise so eerie.
|
| My
skin still crawls when I bring up that memory.
|
| ‘T
was clear he objected to being disturbed.
|
| That
long dark gray hair grew white at its tips.
|
| Ripplin’
when he ran like waves from a ship.
|
| We
stood there in shock, too petrified to move.
|
| I
came to first. With a touch, Brown found his groove.
|
| We
were headin’ down hill till we hit the trail.
|
| Last
look back, were ahead just one stride.
|
|
Yelled, Mom! Get out! A "Big
Bear" just got my hide.
|
|
Mom’s sittin’ out in the clear,
& Buck runs fast
|
|
No reason for her to be Bear food at last.
|
| She
just set there, I thought, she’s plumb lost her mind.
|
| Little
did I know, when we hit the trail, |
| He
done turned up country, just tuckin’ his tail.
|
| They
went a huntin’, my Dad & my Brother.
|
| Must
have scared him too, or somthin’ or other, |
| As
nary a sign have we ever seen yet,
|
| Of
ole silvertip, who raises my hackles.
|
|
Brown vanished that fall & doubt
it was jackals.
|
|
Jo
Lee T Riley©2002
|
Click
here to purchase book with these poems, pictures and more. |
