Cowboy Definition | What is Cowboy? - PoetrySoup

[n] someone who is reckless or irresponsible (especially in driving vehicles)
[n] a performer who gives exhibitions of riding and roping and bulldogging
[n] a hired hand who tends cattle and performs other duties on horseback

Cowboy poetry is rhymed, metered verse written by someone who has lived a significant portion of his or her life in Western North American cattle culture. The verse reflects an intimate knowledge of that way of life, and the community from which it maintains itself in tradition.

Example

Compadre by Jim Fish

We’ve shared the trail, kicked up some dust,
An’ stood a storm or two.
We’ve rode the plains, the wide frontier,
The easy trails were few.
You’ve listened like some wise old sage
To ever thing I’ve said,
An’ as a friend, supported me,
No matter where it led.

I wished I coulda carried you,
The times you were in pain;
Or rustled up some kinda shed
To turn the blowin’ rain.
I’ve come up shy with some your needs,
You gave me more’n you got,
But in your silence, seemed to know,
I needed you a lot.

Compadre, friend, amigo, pard;
I called you all them things,
But there’s been times, I swear to God,
You musta had some wings,
An’ He sent you to care for me
Like no one had before.
If you’as a man an’ not a horse,
I couldn’t a-loved you more.

We gave this ranch our sweat an’ blood,
It’s yours as much as mine,
An’ raised our young’uns through the years,
An’ Lord they’re doin’ fine.
They’re blazin’ trails an’ raisin’ dust,
They’re off an’ runnin’ free.
We’ve taught ‘em well an’ made ‘em strong;
Compadre, you an’ me.

I always knew the day would come
When we would fine’ly ride,
To join the Maker’s round-up time,
Up on the Great Divide.
I sorta hoped we’d share the trail
But this was not to be,
So, you go on, we’ll ride again;
Compadre, you an’ me.

Synonyms

cattleman, cowhand, cowherd, cowman, cowpoke, cowpuncher, puncher, rodeo rider

See Also...

adventurer, bronco buster, buckaroo, buckeroo, cowgirl, gaucho, horse wrangler, performer, performing artist, ranch hand, roper, vaquero, venturer, wrangler

Related Terms

broncobuster, buckaroo, caballero, cattleman, cavalier, cavalryman, chevalier, circus rider, cowgirl, cowhand, cowherd, cowman, cowpuncher, drover, equestrian, equestrienne, gaucho, goatherd, gooseboy, gooseherd, herder, herdsman, hogherd, horse soldier,