Let the Party Begin

This Friday marks the first year birthday for Poetry For Kids Joy, and to help us celebrate David L. Harrison is giving away an autographed copy of his most recent poetry book COWBOYS.   Cowboys
So, Buckaroos, to get you in the mood, David Harrison is allowing me to share two of the poems from COWBOYS with you.

I'll post one today, and the second one tomorrow.

THE BUNKHOUSE

Reckon this place could use a cleanin'.
Some boys hang their clothes on the floor
so they can't fall off nuthin',
and I've seen more'n one jaw of juice
fail to make it plumb out the door.

The walls are purty good,
got mostly recent papers pasted on.
Helps keep out wind in winter
while we catch up on the latest news.

It's nice to have a bunkhouse
in case you're partial to smellin' sweat,
boots trackin' cow manure,
and lamps burnin' skunk-fat oil.

Mighty warm in summer, though.
Good part is
the snakes eat the rats,
but the stink'll make your eyes water some.

Don't much care for sleepin' in.
Bugs gnaw plugs right outta your hide.
Reckon that's why I spread my roll outdoors.

     Isn't that fun?  I love reading this out loud and trying to sound like a real cowpoke.  Can you imagine what skunk fat smells like burning in your lamp?
   If you'd like to win the copy of COWBOYS, Davild L. Harrison's (davidlharrison.wordpress.com/) book of poetry, beautifully illustrated by Dan Burr, just leave a comment, or your own cowboy poem in the comments below.  You have until midnight on Friday night.  Then I'll put all the names in a hat and draw one.
     On my walk this morning I was thinking about all the names for cowboy, buckaroo, jackaroo, bronco-buster, gaucho, vaquaro , wrangler, cowhand, cowpoke, drover, herder, and Hawaiian paniolo who were responsible for bringing slack key guitar to The Islands.  So now see, you could write a poem about any one of these or your own choice that somehow tags cowboy.  Just have fun and enjoy the birthday party.  I'll have another surprise for you tomorrow.

Here is the start of my poem.  I have no idea where it is going to go.


If I were a cowpoke
here's what I'd do,
I'd hop on my horse
and ride to see you.

I'd bring along
a billie can or two
so we could drink tea
or make trail stew.

We'd brand the stray doggies
and push cows along
we'd sing ay-yay-yay-yay
our cowboy song.


     Now it's your turn.  Leave a cowboy poem or your own comment below.