A Rancher's Wife

She's up in the morning two hours before dawn has done most of her chores before the lights come on Already milked the cows and gathered up the eggs even put liniment on the horse’s sore legs Bacon and eggs are cooked the biscuits are baked brown the gravy has been stirred and the plates laid down Once the pans are empty the last bread's been buttered the men tack their horses while she clears the clutter Now a fifty mile drive just to get to the store to pick up the supplies they have been waiting for Time to fry the chicken and put beef in the beans cause stomachs on the ranch are never full it seems After serving the meal and cleaning up the mess she'll ride out to the range and work beside the rest She has to be able to ride fence, rope and brand just as good as any of those other hired hands When the day is over tired and hungry as hell the men wash up and get set for the supper bell She'll be in the kitchen cooking vittles again Cause work for a ranch wife never comes to an end