Steve Dirksen's Cowboy Poems
A Bear and a Bull A large herd of cattle near a rancho of old had a guard, an old bull, that stood proud and bold.
A Cowboy Needs A cowboy needs a wide brimmed hat 'cause a face in shade is cool like that.
A Good Hand He's working in the kitchen of a little café this guy I know
A New Day I was sitting at the Chinese food-to-go place
Across the Plains I took a train across the plains where the wagons rolled so slow
Along the Road The man had on a western hat and walked along the road.
Badmen's Demise In 1849 two good men turned bad.
Bare Tree The tree was bare except for a nest.
Before the Light A cowboy slapped his rope against his leg.
Bill Beneath the hat of Wild Bill was no more than a human.
Billy Was The Kid Billy was the kid once, he grew up on the prod.
Binkley Frank Binkley the frontiersman had an eye gouged out in a fight
Blockers of Texas John Blocker had a brother and they trailed the herds together
Boot Power I saw a western movie once when I was just a kid
Border Man Gregorio Cortez was a border man not too dark and not too fair.
Brushes Hair Up A book of poems lay next to the easel
California Dates Sam Bass once had some tuna up near Monterey
California Joe California Joe was a boy some knew. He worked on a Santa Fe railroad crew.
Caught The mountains around were clear against the sky, clouds hung in blue bright filled my eye.
Changes Sat down once a year ago and thought about my life.
Color I just stuck my nose up to the flower as I held it in my hand and looked at all its tiny leaves like gold
Coming to Town Two cowboys from up around the bends Drove mustangs into a town
Cowboy Art I don't care if its a picture postcard or a calendar on a wall
Cowboy Caps Cowboy caps are folks who've been stove up by something mean.
Cowboy Christmas Light Twinkling stars overhead seemed to whisper a tune that Mike heard every year.
Cowboy Dad A cowboy I know works down at the store. He wears a big old hat
Cowboy Joe I remember a story told me about a cowboy name of Joe.
Cowboy Kit Cowboy rope, boots and spurs, leather leggings.
Cowboy Senses What is it that you see when you look off to the West?
Cowboy Some say the cowboy is a gallant breed, silent and leather tough Others say he's a fable
Dalhart Dalhart Texas long ago In a pickup truck
Debt Black Jack from Powder River rode miles out of his way
Dream of Acapulco Learned to smoke when I was fifteen and curl my brim just so
Elko Went up to Elko some days back
Face the Day Just when the world is cracking up and it seems to be all lost
Family My brother built a porch on the back of our homestead
Far Away Sailing ships and pirates up close, yet far away.
Get Back Mr. Black I did not steal this, Baxter Black, these words are mine, I'm a cowboy hack.
Good Idea Wilbur won't soon forget the day he lost his boot
Grandad's Hands Grandad's hands were hewn twisting broncs for hire.
Hair Care While waiting for old Ed at the House of Hair Repair
Hats Worn Low Jay birds and red sashes, belly guns and hats worn low
He Rides This Train Johnny Cash rides this train across the country singing about the people of the earth.
Headin' Wes I'm Headin' Wes, he's Heeler Joe. Team roping's fun, at the rodeo.
I Am I am Crazy Horse in Montana charging down the hill
I Never Got I never got a Barlow knife passed down to me from dad
I Want I want to be cold in my jeans jacket and sit close to a smoky fire.
If There's No Need If there's no need for Christmas trees or snow upon the ground
In No Rush to Fly Looking at a tree far off a bird was perched up high
Internet Cowboy Website cowboy sits at his screen riding the cyber range to see
I've Cussed I've cussed my thumb, I've cussed my toe.
Juanita Juanita of Downeyville died
Just Yonder The tree in the field provided shade For those that were hot and under it laid
Last Grizz Back in 1916 I got a chance at fame. LA county, out near Sunland
Leather Tough Genes sitting in a café across from her old man looking as though she had spent a hundred years upon the land
Look Away The old man stared hard at the ground 'neath his feet his eyes full with years of success and defeat.
Man with a Name They tell me another man's gone on ahead
Mister "Mister, do they sell money orders here?" the cowboy inquired.
Mom I was sittin' with mom in her kitchen just the other night, to visit some.
My Black Horse Randy Dandy Bob was big as most men that he met But twice as ornery
My Cowboy Cat I have a cat, a cowboy cat he has four legs, but has no hat.
Names John Henry, Buffalo Bill Jesse James and Wyatt Earp
Never Last At times I lie awake at night thinking of the past remembering all the things that seem to never last
New Morning New morning came across my path today. Wasn't sure I was ready to greet it
Night Class Over at the junior college I'm in a class at night.
Night Life The evening sky turned red behind the cowboy as he sat
No Horse Feeling the pain in his side, Brownie knew before the next dawn, he had waiting to do.
No Spurs a-Jingling He died in the backroom
North of El Fuego North of El Fuego lives Senor Mataron
Odds Against Just a thin shirt shielded the boy from the cold but his gun hand was warm for the fight.
Oh Yeah! We was shoppin' at Sears and drinkin' a coke when I realized we was dang near broke.
Old Chair Dobie sat here on this porch in this chair
Old Times Bear River Tom, was tough on outlaws 'till some sod buster sent him to hell.
On the Go One day when I was on the go I stopped to watch a rodeo.
On theGround The paint horse lay dead not far from the road.
One More Candle The whisky left a warm taste in his mouth as he thought
Pete Saw Pete outside the store by his car talking to his dog. You know Pete, top hand years ago
Plans in the Rain The smell of rain was heavy 'cross the land where robbers roost
Please "Pass the potatoes, please!" Cowboy Bill said with ease, his hands were wet from washing up.
Purple Sage The purple sage still blooms after a spring full of rain.
Rain and Mud Seeking shelter from the rain Brownie spurred his old horse on.
Raining Cowboys "It's raining cowboys Grandma," the kid began to shout
Ready, Set and Go! I was driving across the desert to place a small bet
Ridin' Tall  All my life there's been a cowboy riding tall against the sky
Rodeo Bill Rodeo bill took a plane to Dallas
Round Trip Buckskin Frank and Billy Claiborne
Shootout The man wearing black walked into the street adjusting his stride to the midday heat.
Short a Few We're short a few cowboys and cowgirls. They've been off the screen growing old
Single Action A celebration of the west and how they shoot the moon
Skin Deep His hat had the look of road kill flattened beyond it's years
Smoke Signal Smoke lifted skyward after the fight
Snap Button Shirt His pearl snap button cowboy shirt was one that he had bought. Cheaply made in Pakistan
Southpaw Joe Southpaw Joe was none too slow when it come to runnin' wild.
Special Day The air outside's near freezing cold just a couple stars seem to shine.
Still a Few Just over the hill and back aways from the place you're sitting in
Straight and True The ground was flat and went way out 'till stopping at the drop
Straight Up I liked my dads' 1956 hat brim turned up sharp from his ears
Take a Chance One A.M. inside the circle K, clerk behind the counter bored and stocking bags of chips
Taters Up Taters up, taters down, put your heel into the ground. Taters up, taters down, take my place and hang around
Technology Later in the day, after Brownie settled down to a cup of fresh brewed coffee, he called Ed
Telling Jokes There was a cowboy I talked to out along the line That ran between the place he owned and mine
The Best Cowboy I know a man who's an old cowhand he don't think much of soap.
The Bongo Room Two cowboys drove a truck to town, to sing a song or two.
The Hat Bob never touched the brim of his hat it had been planted and stayed where it sat.
The Little Bar The painting on the building wall was faded from the sun
The Nightly Trek Longjohns on a winter night make sense when you got to go
The Purchase a cowboy carried with him the thing he'd gone to town to buy
The Scarf When I was in school my teacher said, "son tie a scarf round your neck"
The Shot Glass The shot glass sits on the bar all alone, the place is closed today
The Show Bill stumbled and fell one night by his tent a bottle clenched in his hand.
The Singing Cowboy A singing cowboy would ride 'cross the screen
The Trade He lay on the floor listening to the sound his pocket watch made
They Rode Across the valley floor they rode on horses with bold eyes
They Wound up Cowboy The civil war was long ago
Thinking Some cowboys sat around a table in a cafe close to here
This for That I like the palm trees of Hawaii as they sway up in the air
Told mom I'd Never Cry When I was stout and sturdy
Tom Horn He worked for cobble in the Iron Mountain Range
Too Healthy "I quit smokin' yesterday," Brownie said,
Top o' the Heap Look at them folks in the cowboy mags
Train Station Sitting at the train station back some years ago
Turtle Rock The dollar bills hang freely from the ceiling up above
Under the Stars There is a place of wonder out among the stars at night
Western Art Someone draws or paints the scene to let us see more clearly
Western Films The "Great Train Robbery" of 1902 showed a cowboy shooting straight at you.
Western Heroes Cody rode the western plains and gave us quite a show.
Western Movies Western movies are deep in my mind, rooted by hours of play.
Western Writer I was gonna write a western novel about a desperado
When Cattle Could Fly In old California when cattle were many they roamed over mountain and sky.
Whistled in the Night Steam locomotive engines whistled in the night across the plains of Kansas
Wild Bill Sit and listen to the story of "Wild Bill" A cowboy from a time not long ago
Wildlife One thing a cowboy loves is the outdoor wildlife
You Don't Have To You don't have to wear spurs to be cowboy or chain smoke an old cigarette.
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