Cowboy Poetry: A Gathering

by Hal Cannon

This collection of poems was chosen from among 10, 000 gathered from cowboy reciters, ranch poets and from a library of over 200 published works of cowboy verse. One third of the poems are classics that have proven their vitality by having lived in the hearts and minds of cowboys and ranchers for decades. The remaining two-thirds are new, created within the last few years. "Most cowboy poems speak of real events and people, from bucking horses and cagey cows to old Stetson hats and long winter travels. Although they focus on the ordinary stuff of life, their truths . . . seem no less eternal than those penned by William Shakespeare. Some cowboy poems are bust-a-gut funny; a few are downright dirty . . . most carry an honest, primitive power." --Michael Riley, TIME Magazine

Genres: Poetry, Westerns, Anthologies

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Hilary "Fox" · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an absolutely lovely collection of poetry written by working cowboys. Partially traditional poems, and partially new ones, this book shows how the process has evolved in some ways and changed very little in others. Cowboy poetry is an interesting tradition, often rooted in the literal and the beauty of the nature around them. It reminds me a bit of Everett Ruess, who I suppose would qualify as a cowboy poet in some ways though he wasn't truly a cowboy.

[Haley Whitehall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book of cowboy poetry. I reread these poems often. They really show the cowboy culture. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes cowboys! Many of the poems make me smile.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a large collection of cowboy poetry edited by Hal Cannon. Almost every poem is in traditional rhyme, and it works very well for the reader. I got a strong, pleasant sense of nostalgia from reading many of the works, and the internal descriptions were so well done in many poems that I could feel the snow and wind and dust and sweat. I took my time with it since, in my opinion, the similarity in rhyming scheme for many of the pieces means you don’t want to read a lot of them back to back. I mostly read two or three a day.

Quite a few of the pieces expressed humor, often of a dry variety. My favorite of this type was called “Reincarnation” by Wallace McRae, in which one cowboy asks another about what reincarnation means. The end is laugh out loud hilarious. Bruce Kiskadoon had four pieces in the collection and I really loved the music he was able to wring out of the standard rhyming format. All four were good but I particularly enjoyed “Cowboy’s Dream,” about a Buckaroo getting into heaven and being thrown out again—although maybe it was just a dream.

Harold Otto’s “Cows and Logs” was another dry and humorous one, while Vern Mortensen’s “Range Cow in Winter” was about loneliness. “The Last Buckaroo” by Dick Gibford had some deep philosophical context to it. But perhaps my favorite piece of them all was “No Imposter” by Duane Reece, about a tough wild cow all alone and the cowboy who wants to catch her.

Overall, a really fine collection. Highly recommended if you like poetry of the west.

[Katelyn Barilski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was lent to me by my boss at a horse ranch, and I loved it from the very start. One thing I gotta say; I wish cowboy poetry was still commonly written to this day. I prefer this type of poetry way more than the modern art. Poetry books nowadays are often more full of blank pages than actual words, with the poems often being only a few sentences. Why is that stuff so popular?

And who doesn't love to read about the Western way of life, learning the ways of the cowboy--the good and the bad--all told in a way that captures your attention and is far from bland? Yes, there were a few poems that weren't my favourite, but that's to be expected in any collection (except for those rare books that are perfect in every section). And yet I couldn't give less than a perfect score, because this book I couldn't help but adore. Most of the poetry was spectacular and thrillingly detailed, passionately describing the way of the West. Some had humour and jest, others put your cowboy knowledge to the test. It's no question--these poems are some of the best.

[Andy Caffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only a couple of poems seemed special to me. The one about his friend asking about reincarnation was the best. He explains burial, and that someday the grass will grow on his grave, and then a flower. Then a horse may come along and eat the flower...

"The posey that the hoss done ate...
Makes bones, and fat, and muscle
Essential to the steed.
But some is left that he can't use
And so it passes through,
And finally lays upon the ground.
This thing, that once wuz you.

Then say, by chance, I wanders by...
I think of reincarnation,
Of life, and death, and such,
And come away concludin': Slim,
You ain't changed, all that much."

LOL

Lots of poems about riding in rodeos. Cowboys lived pretty much the same life. Mostly, they all wrote the same poem with different word selections.

[Samon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so fun!!!!

[John Riselvato · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a couple of times by the campfire on my Dad's land. Read it out loud to give everyone a good chuckle. It's a serious book but still putting on my cowboy voice and reading into the stars was awesome.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome book!

[Urey Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

edited by Hal Cannon - simply great!

[Aggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice collection of poetry written by cowpokes and ranchers. It ranged from funny to sad to spritual to joyful.