Untamed

Douglas Polk

Hills of grass as far as the eye can see, 
empty except for the occasional pine, 
or cedar tree, 
once land of the buffalo, 
where the bison roamed free, 
now acres measured, 
numbered, 
and fenced off, 
the land tamed,

Untamed

Douglas Polk

Hills of grass as far as the eye can see, 
empty except for the occasional pine, 
or cedar tree, 
once land of the buffalo, 
where the bison roamed free, 
now acres measured, 
numbered,

The Snow Storm

Douglas Polk

snow piling up,
cattle left to roam,
cards in the bunkhouse,
warm for now,
but on horseback the minute the snow stops,
so savor the warmth,
and everything dry,
even the humor,
it will all end too quickly,
when cattle rounded up,
 and accounted for.
____________

Snow Day

Douglas Polk

City Girls

Douglas Polk

heading off to college in a few days,
my son asked me about city girls,
were they wild?
were they spoiled?
told him I dated a city girl once,
brought her home from college to meet my folks,
during calving season,

thought her eyes would pop out of her head,
when she saw her first calf pulled,
she fell asleep at the dinner table,
even snored,
loud enough it was hard to ignore,
even drooled abit on her chin,

The Dude

Douglas Polk

he wore a ten gallon hat,
and spurs,
big enough to catch the wind,
everyone thought him a dandy,
til he began to work,
and rope,
dang, could he rope,
the hat and spurs seemed to shrink out of view,
after a hour or two,
sitting around listening to stories after the work done,
he hardly said a word,
his clothes were louder than he was,
but he did say his name was Orson,
but everyone called him the Dude.

Fly over Land

Douglas Polk

the open plains,
fly over land,
unoccupied for hundreds of years,
its past unknown,
awaiting the horse,
to reveal its secrets,
and gifts,
water,

The Branding

Douglas Polk

branding time,
optimism high,
except for my son,
his girlfriend would not talk to him,
heard the calf bawl,
called branding inhumane,

Monkey Face

Douglas Polk

Monkey Face, 
the calf that got away,
roaming my Grandpa's farm,
wild and crazy,
dashing through my dreams,
a living, breathing nightmare,
two years went by,
before we could catch her,
and load her for the sale,
two winters,

Boots on the Fence Posts

Douglas Polk

cowboy boots on fence posts,
memorials to the dead,
horses remembered,
along with some good men,
toes pointing the way home,
hoping no one late or lost,
when the last roundup comes.
________________

Walking Stick

Douglas Polk

Doctoring

Douglas Polk

cattle sorted,
and run through the chutes,
health checked,
and shots given,
working the alleyway,
smiles when the kiddos pushing the cattle,
kicked in the shins,
the pain remembered,
as were some thoughts,
"when will I get out of the alleyway,
checking and giving shots",
wish I could convince the kiddos,
patience is all that is needed.
_______________

Change

Douglas Polk