A Cowboy's Comfort

Here's another poem from my book, "Sayin' Ain't Bein'."


A Cowboy’s Comfort

The sun’s sinkin’ low, way off in the West
and this cowboy’s a-thinkin’ it’s time for a rest
‘cause he’s been in the saddle since just after dawn
makin’ sure all the doggies stay where they belong.
His dinner is simple, sowbelly and beans.
Then he kicks off his boots and loosens his jeans
as he pours him some coffee that’s boiled up just right
and sits there a listenin’ to the sounds of the night.
It’s a lonely old life, that’s a fact, to be sure.
But, bein’ alone has a certain alure
cause it gives you some time at the end of the day
to listen to all that the Lord has to say.
See, a cowboy alone, sitting there by the fire
doesn’t need to hear preachin’ or songs from a choir
to know there’s a God. Cause God’s there in the breeze,
and the sagebrush and cactus, and all that he sees.
God’s footprints, he’ll tell you, are plain as the day.
if you don’t let that other stuff get in the way,
like worry and frettin’ how this or why that,
or complainin’ how unfair things are where you’re at.
So, he pours out his coffee and hunkers on down
ah-hearin God whisper in each little sound,
“You can rest easy partner and I’ll tell you why,
cause I’m always right with ya and that ain’t no lie.”


You see what I did there? I used cowboy images
to work in a little “witness”.
As a matter of fact, I started doing cowboy poetry
as a way to share my faith.
There aren’t many forums where someone can
perform faith-based poetry.
But there are hundreds of cowboy poetry
and film festivals around the country every year
and it has been my experience that audiences love to
hear poetry with a purpose.