A Cowboy's Wife

                                                                       

A Cowboy’s Wife

Christine Reece

1992

Many are the poems of an old-time cowboy’s life

This one tells of my life as an old-time cowboys wife.

Lonely cow camps were our home, hawks soared overhead 

We’d pack supplies on horses to wherever they were led.

 

Our smoky lights would flicker, trees would sway and moan

My cowboy rode away at dawn; I’d spend the days alone.

I’d carry water from the spring; I’d chop a lot ‘a wood

Clothes were washed on rub-boards, and ironed if I could.

I’d cook for many cowboys; I’d keep a cabin neat

They’d fill a plate and then , sit on the floor to eat.

Crew hands were very typical for that point in time

Some were of the best, and some weren’t worth a dime.

As the roundups days got longer, and even harder fight 

My supper dishes often done sometime around midnight .

Some clouds have silver linings though, and one of my best;

When the shipping days were over, I could get a little rest .

The cows’ud stop bawlin’;

And head back to their range

The powdered dust’ud settle,

If and when we got some rain.

A working cowboy’s life was hard,

But we’d get by somehow

When we could save a little,

we’d just buy another cow.

If I could turn the time around

 and go back once again

I wouldn’t mind if it, was just like

it was back then.

Those days are only memories ,

time improved my life

Many years have came and gone,

I’m still that cowboy’s wife.

Christine Reece, 1992