I’m jest a old hard and fast “Rimmy”
That’s allus worked one certain way.
I was talkin’ to Eddie and Jimmie,
And it’s better to dally they say.
You often have heard people talkin’
That it don’t hurt a feller to try.
Now I never was much hand fer knockin’,
But I’m willin’ to state that’s a lie.
It was on the beef hunt last September
I jumped a big three-year-old steer.
He gave me a few to remember,
He went through the bresh like a deer.
He certainly knowed how to do it.
He was leavin’ from there like a bat.
But I sez, jest you help yourself to it,
I’ll soon be around where you’re at.
The hoss I was ridin’, I’m saying,
Was lazy but not very slow.
He had the world cheated fer stayin’,
If you’d spur him you bet he could go.
That steer? Hadn’t no chance to turn him,
He wasn’t the turn around breed.
So I reckoned I’d start in and learn him
By breakin’ the critter to lead.
I sent my old loop his direction,
I jerked at it and let my rope cross,
Then I aimed to establish connection
Betwixt that said steer and my hoss.
I dabbed fer my winds on “Old Sally,”
But the hoss sort of shirked and hung back.
I thought I had room fer a dally
But the steer got away with my slack.
Then my whole constitution jest buckles,
Like when somebody tromps on your corn.
Fer the end of my rope and my knuckles,
Was all that I got on the horn.
My hand was all busted and mangled.
Got one crooked finger now. See?
Well, I follered the steer till he tangled,
And got him tied up to a tree.
There is certain sad memories that lingers,
And I reckon that this one will last.
I may break my neck, not my fingers,
But I’ll risk it and tie hard and fast.
(Bruce Kiskaddon)
More Poetry from Bruce Kiskaddon:
Bruce Kiskaddon Poems based on Topics: Nature, World- The Cow Boy's Dream (Bruce Kiskaddon Poems)
- When They've Finished Shipping Cattle in the Fall (Bruce Kiskaddon Poems)
- The Stampede (Bruce Kiskaddon Poems)
- The Balky Hoss (Bruce Kiskaddon Poems)
- An Old Western Town (Bruce Kiskaddon Poems)
- The Bronco Twister's Prayer (Bruce Kiskaddon Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: World Poems, Nature PoemsBased on Keywords: willin, critter, knockin, busted, leavin, breakin, constitution, eddie, shirked, follered, stayin