I'm bewildered by what I see yonder,
Now hold yer horses, let's cease to wander.
We're fixin to meet yer coffee boiler.
He's the new one who's not a straight shooter. Whoah!
I reckon he's got an excuse for it.
And he will tell me why he didn't quit.
I'm stumped why he bamboozled you last night.
I thought I'd be cashed in for that big fight.
But I thought we should cowboy up!
You know I'm gonna call that wrangler's bluff.
We'll not run from trouble and skedaddle.
A strong man must sit firm on his saddle.
Grab a bandana, and fetch a canteen.
Nobody's guessed where this trail's gonna lead.
I once road down a lonely darkened road.
The burdens that I carried formed a load.
But I stood determined to cowboy up.
To set my trail straight and clean myself up!
That waddler will learn to ride for the brand.
By my wise warnin' and wisdom's command!
Those punchers all hat, surely no cattle,
Soon learn wild broncos make 'em chew gravel.
Cowgirls too!
These days, cowboys must learn to communicate!
And get the best result negotiatin'
Big change is ridin' hard across the range! Whoah!
A Cowboy lives his life,
From sunrise to sunset.
Hard work, calloused hands,
And a bunk to hang his hat.
Riding, roping, branding,
It's all for a week's pay.
Come Friday night it's time,
To chase the blues away.
A few cold beers in hand,
A Cowgirls twirling skirt.
It helps a man forget,
The hard days in the dirt.
But when the fun is done,
And the sun starts to grin.
It's time to grab the reins,
And Cowboy up again.
Appaloosa, Mustang or Paint
Breeds to ride and love, breeds who ain’t
Broken by pain or heartbreak
But show them a rattlesnake
That horse won’t have much self-restraint
Put Your Best (ONE) Limerick Forward (be like Rico Leffanta)
Sponsored by Andrea Dietrich
February 21, 2023
Rodeo Poet,
bronc riding Sage
Arena unbridled
—dallies unfrayed
(Las Vegas: December, 2021)
Freedom,
Written: by Tom Wright
1/24/03
The first draft
had it's inauguration at Calvary.
Jesus, being classified 4-A,
shed His blood to make men free.
He didn't die because he wanted to,
but realized, the situation required a sacrifice.
Since that time, when freedom has been tested,
good men have come forth and paid the price.
The payment required, always the same, blood.
Veterans don't make this sacrifice
for the sake of being called heroes.
Some things are done because they're right.
Your Country calls, and you gallantly answer the call.
I wonder, in the spoiled generation which now exists,
if the call goes out, will few, or any, answer?
Attitudes today, seem to be, not my generation,
let someone else do it, as they exercise their right to protest.
They seem content to live as parasites, on the bodies of the fallen.
What if, in the beginning,
Jesus, had chosen a deferment, burned his draft card, ran,
or marched in protest, saying let someone else do it?
We would have no hope.
I leave you with this thought,
A Freedom Not Worth Fighting For,
Is A Freedom Not Worth Having.
Real men cowboy up.
Bury me with a horny toad-
A jar of Texas sand.
Throw in a quart of motor oil-
The glove from my right hand.
Just leave the spurs upon my boots,
An' drop 'em in right quick.
An' just in case there's music there,
Throw in a guitar pick.
Lay in gently a dollar bill
In case they charge for beer.
An' put a sign upon my grave
That tells 'em I ain't here.
But I'll be in that red sunrise,
Or in that speckled pup.
An' you can bet that I'll be there
When they say,"Cowboy up".
7/28/2017
It’s almost time for the Academy Awards.
Theaters are showing their best movies
and someone I know wants to go.
I used to pay 15 cents to see Roy Rogers
in black and white cowboy up on Trigger.
Today with popcorn, candy and a drink
it costs 20 bucks almost, just for me,
to see violence in brilliant color.
Six teens laugh a row ahead of me.
Donal Mahoney
A COWBOYS TEARS.
A cowboys hat is worn with pride his buckle with pride.
Took a big wall of blood sweat an pain to get this far
Pain from a broken ride long forgotten but fresh in his mind
And the tears he cries for the one he left behind
The lonely road he travels alone chasing the dream and competing to be rodeos number one.
Rodeos of glory an hardship were tuff is the only way
Friends an fans respecting god an asking for safety
When he prays for the ride he makes tonight it could
Make or break him it's all on the line dreams as a child
Of being a cowboy all rest on his shoulders .
His spirt thrives for the rush of the ride never willing to stop
Wanting to go to the finals an see his name on top hang on
Tight an make the ride cowboy up just like your hero lane frost.
Sincerely Tim kegley
We walk the streets after dark
We bow to our opponents at the gate to the park
We are the unknown faces of the street
The deadliest crew you'll ever meet
Our challengers yield in cowardice as we enter in a ring of fire
To finally defeat us is their one desire
Its simply a battle of territory and infinite game
We represent with ink, scars, and not an ounce of shame
This is our hood
For these newbies it doesn't look good
Frost bitten and slippin' on snow covered ice
We don't care 'cuz they've done tried us twice
Cowboy up and join the rodeo
Can't earn your patch by just watchin' the show
With the fire of fury we shall rise once again
Not even winter's black ice shall do us in
We came to win just one more fight
We'll leave here in victory tonight
I was never the reason
to this scene I was late
and yes, my name will probably come up
but you better clear the slate
it's been coming for sometime
only a fool couldn't see
it will hurt for a little while
but you can't blame this on me
the dust you thought was settled
is once again about to stir
as you step from the shadows
they will use every word
it's gonna be a long monsoon
with plenty of thunder and lightning
the likes of which you've never seen
the depths of it will be frightening
all the balls up in the air
quickly, they will unwind
conversations from long ago
will creep into your mind
it's not like I didn't tell you
or not like you didn't know
that freedom has a very high price
as you take it blow by blow
a minor inconvenience
on the road of past deceptions
this trail you started on your own
has bumps and misconceptions
so cowboy up and place the truth
right where it needs to be
it will hurt for a little while
but don't put this blame on me
Vacation...Not for the teachers!
Boys and girls squealling with glee, horses and wagons
So much information too little time! Cowboy UP!
on a wooden floor
between heaven and earth
doin the electric slide
givin it all we're worth
steel guitars and country twang
cowboy hats and a longneck night
boots sliding smooth or tapping in time
cowgirls step high and right in line
dancing late in the moon's light
no work tomorrow, it's Saturday night
come on baby, just one more dance
cowboy up, let's do another
wow, you look really great
I made dinner reservations for eight
this quaint little Italian bistro
that not to too many know
let me buckle you in
let's let this night begin
you have the greenest eyes
that's the first thing I summised
here, put on my coat
I'll put up the window
are you warm enough
this cowboy can cowboy up
With the challenge of writing a poem in the now
I reach for my pen, a lightning quick draw
Gun slinging the page with a six shooter of words
Letters ricocheting off of the page, escaping the poems claw
Defeating all who dare to challenge my ink shooter
Walking tall in Poetry soup's Wild West
Poets work, slinging words left and right
We enter contest, to conquer and be the best
Today I'll spur the paper with cowboy up
Put my words down with the quickness
Winning the buckle of Glory
Riding this bull named "dirty business"
I'm riding off into the sunset another notch in my belt
The legend of the "Word Slinger" has begun
Conquering all from the east to the west
Riding in glory, clearing the dust second to none
------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspired by Matt caliri contest - Write now-
took me 30 minutes to write and type 8-19-09 had lots of fun!!!!!!!!!!
purely fictional :-)
Life is a rodeo,
Full of tuff 8-second rides.
Some you stay on,
Others you wonder how'd I survive!
But when you get bucked off,
And realize the grounds a long way down.
Better hope there's a friendly clown,
To hurry you up off the ground!
So when it's time to hop back in that shoot,
Hope you had time to heal and regroup!
Scared of the blood, sweat, and all your fears,
Man I'll tell yah, when they pull that gate,
You won’t have time for those tears!
Life is all about judgments on you ride,
So "Cowboy up"!
Cause all you have is your pride!
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.