Ode To The Cowboy Cook
by Mark Berryman
(this is my first cowboy poem)
Gather round this pot of grub, and hear a tale of mine,
I'll tell ya 'bout the ol' camp cook, and of his place in time.
Now many folk have plied the trade, of slinging beef and bean,
Along the ranch, throughout the trail, across the western scene.
Ol' cookie, he's done his share, on cattle drive and trail,
Fought injuns, fought outlaws, made it through the same travails,
As any cowhand on the drive, from Bozeman to the Rio Grande,
As handy with a shootin' iron as with a cast iron pan.
Now everybody wants ta be top hand, no one wants to cook,
They'll rise early to jingle in horses, not give the stove a second look.
Unless there's no coffee in the pot, or bacon fryin' in the pan,
Then they look around to see if there's anyone else that can.
The ladies get all dreamy eyed, when they see them chaps and spurs,
Hopin' that the wrangler on a horse can be roped, then made hers.
No thought is given to the cook, unless it's eatin' time,
When there belly starts to growl, and they hear that ol' bell chime.
I know the cowboy's job is tough, his work, it can be hard,
And they deserve a hand from us, for bein' a good pard.
So thank the wrangler all you want, he's done his best for you,
Just remember to KISS THE COOK, 'cuz he deserves one too!
Love At First Sight (a cowboy love poem)
by Mark Berryman
There's them that say there is no such thing as love at first sight
They say it can't be true.
But I'm here to tell you they're all wrong,
'cuz I've been there myself too!
Now it happened back when I wuz a young buck,
still wet behind the ears,
I was ridin' through the Arizona desert,
not a worry nor a fear.
I had stopped atop Choya Ridge,
to sit and pause a spell,
When I caught the first glimpse of her,
and it caused my heart to swell.
The sun caught every strand of hair,
made it shine like solid gold,
And the outline of her agin' the sky
made me feel a bit more bold.
Yes, she was built jus' right,
every feature a work of art,
And I longed to have her,
and keep her in my heart.
Aw, but, it was not meant to be,
for in an instant she was gone,
And though I searched to find her,
my luck had all gone wrong.
So now you've heard jus' how it happened,
and the love that I declare,
And though there may be others,
I'll never forget that mare.
The Last Cowboy
by Mark Berryman
I hate to see the last cowboy gone,
It'll be an awful shame
T' finish th' last round-up
to see the last bronc tamed.
But the breed is gittin' fewer...
and fewer ev'ry day
And when it's gonna come ta pass,
fer now I jus' cain't say.
But when that last cowboy's gone,
there's one thing that stands true
We'll have lost a part of hist'ry...
an' a part of me 'n you.