The Cowpoke

by Bill Lowman

read poem
The Cowpoke

There’s a breed on the loose,
That sticks out like a sore thumb.
They’re strong willed, they’re bull headed,
And sometimes accused as intellectually dumb.

But let me tell you my friends,
Nothings farther from the truth.
For a cowboy is a genius,
Although somewhat socially uncouth.

There’s not a creature on Earth,
That comes close to compare,
To the arts of a cowpoke,
In times of deep despair.

For when the chips are down,
He’s the one that will survive.
“Improvising” is the working theme,
Where a cowboy will thrive.

For there’s not another species on Earth,
Past – future – or now,
That will spend a lifetime tryin’,
To outsmart a damned old cow.

© Bill Lowman

BILL LOWMAN was raised on his parent’s cow-calf outfit in the western badlands of North Dakota. He is an accomplished visual artist, performing artist and author, eloquently bringing the seasons and stories of life as a Dakota rancher to audiences. Lowman has written and illustrated five books of cowboy humor and poetry as well as a book of cowboy cartoons. He founded the Dakota Cowboy Poetry Gathering in 1987, which is still going strong in Medora, North Dakota.

Portrait Sponsor

Western Folklife Center

westernfolklife.org

Sponsors

National Endowment for the Arts
Nevada Arts Council
NV Energy Foundation