Cowboy Poetry – The Trail Boss Turned 60

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The Camp Cooky’s singin
again outa tune

About turnin 60
today around noon

What good is there in it
I hear him say

And it got me to thinkin
seein it was his birthday

It seems bein 60’s got two sides
to that coin

One frittered and wrinkled
the other, some don’t live to join

The one who’s 60 if truth be told
is still younger than all those 61 to real old

In the campfire’s crackle of light I can see
how everyone younger’n 59 is prob’ly
………… dumber than me

So if my hands now struggle with the knots
and riggin fer sure

The knowin and the tellin to those
younger’s worth more

Havin outlived many a cow horse, while
lovin them all

The awnry and skitterish, the short
and the tall

The summers ridin drag, and the worst
winters mendin fence

With a slicker full a holes, and that Ol Dog
with no sense

And while the cuttin and the brandin seems
boring to some

It’s the importance of their nature and gettin
things done

When the hats and the spurs and even the
saddles are all gone

And the sun sinks over that last mountain, like
in Dusty’s ol song

I’ll remember the good times, lettin
go of the bad

And think back on the pards and the ladies
I’ve had

Because just like for Cooky, it happened
last year to me

And turnin 60 seemed ranker than any
bronc could ever be

But like that new Visalia saddle the boss man
said was now mine

I’ve found something that’s different, somethin
gentler and kind

The speed and the strength ain’t been
traded for free

And somethin woke up that I guess was always
sleepin in me

And as I yell to the wrangler “Cut me one
gentle and nice”

Without loosin too much pride I ask “can you help
Ol Jim cinch his riggin real tight”

Then once more in the dark I ride off in search
of the herd

Singin that one favorite cow song every
real cowboy has heard

And as I inch up on the lead steer
whisperin mellow and low

‘Yippee ki yay’ Ol Fella
you ready to go

For maybe one last time we push
North thru the dark

The sun still two hours off to the right
of our mark

While in the distance a wolf howls
as that lead steer catches my eye

In that instant I know I’m still needed
a long ways from g’bye

(Dewey Montana: Time Circa 1990’s)