"Barbed Wire" 

Ben Aitken
"Poet, Author & Humorist"
Stump Ranch

 

                       

        CHECKIN' THE BACK TRAIL

 

              By "Barbed Wire" Ben Aitken

 

Are Cowgirls all that tough -- a city feller ask one time,

So I told him this little story -- and I put the words to rhyme.

 

Out on the Owyhee desert--while a tendin’ to her stock,

A cowgirl answered nature’s call--behind a desert rock.

 

She squatted on his boot heals--her posterior was exposed and bare.

She did not see that rattler—lyin’ coiled under there.

 

That cowgirls butt was tough as sin--from years of saddle grime.

That rattler’s fangs were honed and fit--dangerous all the time.

 

He put all his power behind a strike--aimed at that cowgirls ass.

And died with broken fangs--From one blast of saddle gas.       

 

THE OLD VISITOR

By "Barbed Wire" Ben Aitken

HE WAS A WITHERED OLD COWHAND -- HIS FACE WAS OLD AND BEAT
HE STOPPED AT MY BACK DOOR ONE DAY -- TO BEG A BITE TO EAT
HIS OLD AND TATTERED HAT -- WAS HELD BY TREMBLING BONY HANDS
HE SAID HE'D TRAVELED FAR ---- BEEN LIVING OFF THE LAND

HIS CLOTHES WERE OLD WITH PATCHES ON THE PLACES THAT WORE THIN
TWAS PLAIN TO SEE HE WAS ONLY THE SHELL OF THE MAN HE ONCE HAD BEEN
I COULD NOT SEND HIM ON HIS WAY ---- WITHOUT A BITE OF GRUB
NOR REFUSE TO LET HIM SPEND THE NIGHT ---- SO I SENT HIM TO THE TUB

HE JOINED THE FAMILY AT THE TABLE -- AND QUIETLY BOWED HIS HEAD
SILENTLY -- THO ALL COULD SEE ---- HE THANKED THE LORD FOR BREAD
I'VE SEEN MY MOTHER -- LONG AGO -- FEED MANY FOLKS LIKE HIM
WHEN PEOPLE SHARED THE THINGS THEY HAD THO WHAT THEY HAD WAS SLIM

HE ATE HIS MEAL IN SILENCE AND SLOWLY DRANK HIS JUICE
WHEN HE HAD FINISHED HE ASK IF PER CHANCE -- I WOULD SHARE MY SNOOSE
I GAVE TO HIM MY HALF USED CAN ---- WHICH CAUSED HIS EYES TO SHINE
THEN HE LAID BARE HIS LIFE TO US ---- WE LOST ALL TRACK OF TIME

HE TOLD OF THINGS IN ANCIENT DAYS -- OF A LIFE THAT WE THINK STRANGE
OF SIX GUN FIGHTS HE HAD BEEN IN -- OUT ON THE OPEN RANGE
TOLD OF HORSES HE HAD BROKE -- OF OUTLAWS HE HAD SEEN
MOST WERE COMMON FOLKS WHO WOULDN'T BOW -- AND FORCED TO TURN MEAN

OF HARDSHIPS THAT WERE COMMON THEN -- YOU KNEW HE'D SEEN FIRST HAND
HE TOLD OF HOW HIS FAMILY ALL ---- LAY BURIED ON THE LAND
MOST OF THE STORIES HE TOLD WERE SAD AND IN OUR EYES FORMED TEARS
HE SEEMED TO GET THINGS OFF HIS CHEST HE'D CARRIED THERE FOR YEARS

AND WHEN WE FINALLY GOT HIM TO BED ----- WE KNEW HE NEEDED REST
HE ONCE HAD BEEN A POWERFUL MAN WHO'D STACKED UP WITH THE BEST
BUT NOW WAS OLD AND WORN DOWN ---- FOR TIME WILL ALWAYS WIN
AND IN THE MORNING, HE WAS GONE -- NO BREATH WAS LEFT IN HIM

ONE DAY HE WAS LIVING ----- THE NEXT DAY HE WAS CLAY
I'M GLAD THAT FOR A MOMENT I COULD HOLD HIS HAND BEFORE HE WENT AWAY
TO TRAVEL UP THAT FAR OFF RIDGE -- WHERE ONE MUST GO ALONE
AND LEAVE THIS TROUBLED LAND BEHIND -- TO FIND A BETTER HOME

THE PREACHER SAID HE WAS LOOKING FOR FRIENDS BEFORE HE COULD TURN LOOSE
THE CORONER SAID, "WHAT KILLED HIM WAS ------ THE HOT BATH OR THE SNOOSE"

 

 

 

                             MOST COWBOY'S TAKE A BATH ONCE A YEAR -- IF THEY NEED IT OR NOT                             

                                                                                                                                            

       MONEY TALKS

                                       

                                          By (Barbed Wire) Ben Aitken                                 

                                                                                                                                             

 

 

THE EVENIN SUN WAS SITTIN LOW ------ IT HAD BEEN A DUSTY TRIP.

US COWBOY'S EYED THAT MOUNTAIN STREAM -- DECIDED WE'D SKINNY DIP.

WE SHED OUR CLOTHES FROM BOOTS TO HAT'S --THAT WATER LOOKED INVITIN'.

NOW COWBOY'S BARE AND STRIPED OF CLOTHES -- IS OFTEN KINDA' FRIGHTENIN.

 

 

CUZ THERE'S BOW LEGS AND KNOBBY KNEES, SPARE TIRES AND PAUNCHY GUTS.    

WRINKLED HIDES, SUN BURNED ARM'S AND SADDLE CALLOUSED BUTTS.

THAT MOUNTAIN STREAM WAS COLD AS ICE -- IT SOON HAD US ON THE RUN,

WE CRAWLED OUT ON THAT GRASSY BANK TO DRIP DRY IN THE EVENIN SUN.

 

THOSE OLD COWS STOOD OUT AND WATCHED -- A SIGHT TO THEM QUITE STRANGE,

CUZ NOTHIN LIKE THIS -- HAD EVER BEFORE -- BEEN SEEN UPON THEIR RANGE.

AND YES WE LOOKED LIKE DROWNED RATS THAT HAD LEFT A SHIP THAT'S SINKIN',

WHEN SHORTY ASKED SLIM WHAT HE THOUGHT THOSE OLD COWS MIGHT BE THINKIN.

THROUGH CHATTERIN TEETH, SLIM REPLIED, --- "PARD, YOU MIGHT NOT THINK THIS FUNNY,

BY NOW THOSE OLD COWS ALL HAVE TO BE THINKIN  ------                                            

OUR WIVES MARRIED US -- FOR OUR  MONEY"   

 

 

 

MOST COWBOYS GET SPIRITUAL, WHEN  IN A HEAP OF TROUBLE

                                                                  

         DOES A COWBOY EVER PRAY

          By Barbed Wire) Ben Aitken

                                                                                    

For a cowboy in a city there is nothin much to do,

Most cities have no place for a buckaroo.

Their feet get tired of poundin’ the pavement every day,

It’s an awful place for a cowboy to have to stay.

                                                             

 So I stopped into a fancy church to pass the time away.

Was singled out and asked sarcastic like -- "do cowboys ever pray."

I looks him square in the eye and say’s, damn right they do,

But they do it a little different than I've see it done by you."

Yes a cowboy talks to his maker most any time of the day,  

It could be in a blizzard to help him find his way.

Or maybe on a salty horse he's tryin hard to ride,

Or, when a rangy bull is wantin’ to perforate his hide.

It could be in a wagon with an axle comin loose,

Or, lyin sick on the ground after swallowin’ all his snoose.

Maybe it's in a river -- when his pony cannot swim.

Or, in a foot race, when a mad cow is gainin’ on him.

Off times in a poker game when he sure could use an ace.

Yes a cowboy can pray any time or any place.

They don't have barns to gather in where folks judge what they say.

Or consider it their duty to have a special place or a special day.

I know the lord hears cowboys -- even a hundred miles from town.

He's answered often fast like, and never let me down.

He's my maker, savior, comforter and good friend,

And I'll thank him and praise him till my life comes to an end.

That preacher eyed me sour like and tried to stare me down.

Then I say's," I know he's answered now cuz I'm ------ headin out of town.