It's not just that you sleep beneath the stars
Or that you chase wild cows on dancing steeds
It's that you treasure landscapes spread afar
Neath Western skies, freshened by the breeze.
At dawn and dusk and every step between
You fill the day with what work must be done.
Hard you ride for the brand that buys your beans
And biscuits, yet behold yourself to none.
It's more than all of this, you cowboy folk
For when your horse has water, grain, and hay
You sharpen up your pencil and invoke
Your muse to share the meaning of your day.
So other folks can ride along with you
Folks that never sit a horse can still
Appreciate a bit of what you do
And smell the sage and hear the mountain rill.
Your ranches and your rodeos reflect
The best of dreams that fire Americans’ hearts
We honor you with deep and true respect
And thank you for the beef down at Walmart.
As sure as beeves are gathered by cowboys
And shipped to markets far before you rest,
So in winter you gather for the joy
Of sharing poems, not caring whose is best.
Where else do folks like-minded come together
As friends to deepen what each person knows
About a way of life that in all weather
Calms their minds no matter how it blows.
For us who Western verse much enjoy
I here salute the soul of this land’s best.
Please carry on your ways as true envoys,
I tip my hat to you stewards of the West.
October 12, 2023
Garry Breland 