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Poetry
Poetry Author(s): Dick Hart Source: Rangelands, 29(2):79-79. Published By: Society for Range Management DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2111/1551-501X(2007)29[79:P]2.0.CO;2 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.2111/1551-501X%282007%2929%5B79%3AP%5D2.0.CO %3B2
BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne’s Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/page/terms_of_use. Usage of BioOne content is strictly limited to personal, educational, and non-commercial use. Commercial inquiries or rights and permissions requests should be directed to the individual publisher as copyright holder.
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Poetry Not Everyone Loves the West Come, all you poetical cowboys; Let’s get something off of our chests. Though we would not exchange Our home on the range, Not everyone loves the West.
Where a blizzard congeals your bloodstream, No matter how warmly you’re dressed, And a barbed wire fence Is your sole defense From the wind that blows ’cross the West.
Some think that it’s too rough and tumble, Which makes them so sad and depressed. That they want to take it And change and remake it Then maybe they’d love the West.
An’ what if your faithful and trusty cayuse Unloads you, miles from your nest? You’d tramp over the plains, With your feet feelin’ pain, From the boots that folks wear in the West.
They say if we shoot at grizzlies and wolves, We’ll be in great peril of arrest. We shouldn’t be bitter If they chew up our critters; That’s how it should be in the West.
And suppose that grizzly takes one look at you And decides that your chops are the best? At Figueroa and Main, You may top the food chain, But that ain’t how it works in the West.
They say that the oilmen and miners Should call a timeout to their quests. Although we remark That they’d freeze in the dark, They’re sure it’d be good for the West.
So you take the city and we’ll take the range, Though we’re glad to have you as a guest. Enjoy hospitality, Keep an eye on reality; Then we’ll all get along in the West.
Remove all the cattle and sheep from the range Is a thought that is often expressed. They’d find it enticin’ To give it back to the bison, Though those critters near ate up the West.
—By Dick Hart
Perhaps we ought to convince ’em That on the two coasts they are blessed. That there they should stay To work and to play; Life’s really too rough in the West.
April 2007
79
BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne’s Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/page/terms_of_use. Usage of BioOne content is strictly limited to personal, educational, and non-commercial use. Commercial inquiries or rights and permissions requests should be directed to the individual publisher as copyright holder.
BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research.
Poetry Not Everyone Loves the West Come, all you poetical cowboys; Let’s get something off of our chests. Though we would not exchange Our home on the range, Not everyone loves the West.
Where a blizzard congeals your bloodstream, No matter how warmly you’re dressed, And a barbed wire fence Is your sole defense From the wind that blows ’cross the West.
Some think that it’s too rough and tumble, Which makes them so sad and depressed. That they want to take it And change and remake it Then maybe they’d love the West.
An’ what if your faithful and trusty cayuse Unloads you, miles from your nest? You’d tramp over the plains, With your feet feelin’ pain, From the boots that folks wear in the West.
They say if we shoot at grizzlies and wolves, We’ll be in great peril of arrest. We shouldn’t be bitter If they chew up our critters; That’s how it should be in the West.
And suppose that grizzly takes one look at you And decides that your chops are the best? At Figueroa and Main, You may top the food chain, But that ain’t how it works in the West.
They say that the oilmen and miners Should call a timeout to their quests. Although we remark That they’d freeze in the dark, They’re sure it’d be good for the West.
So you take the city and we’ll take the range, Though we’re glad to have you as a guest. Enjoy hospitality, Keep an eye on reality; Then we’ll all get along in the West.
Remove all the cattle and sheep from the range Is a thought that is often expressed. They’d find it enticin’ To give it back to the bison, Though those critters near ate up the West.
—By Dick Hart
Perhaps we ought to convince ’em That on the two coasts they are blessed. That there they should stay To work and to play; Life’s really too rough in the West.
April 2007
79