Working Cowboy

Desert daze…
Lazy haze…
Rising from the heated ground.
Reddened sand…
Dusty land…
Thorns and cactus all around.

Walking slow…
Bending low…
Sweat trickles down my brow.
Searching here…
Looking there…
We have to find him now.

Broken fence…
Bushes dense…
Water’s very rare.
Stupid steer…
Cowboy career…
Right now it’s hard to care.

Squinting eyes…
Scanning skies…
Swinging up on trusty horse.
Footing sure…
Seat secure…
I let him follow his own course.

Cresting ridge…
Crossing bridge…
The river bed is dry.
Circling ‘round…
Quarry found…
The sun is not yet high.

Shaking rope…
Easy lope…
A loop around his neck.
Turning back…
Giving slack…
Avoiding any wreck.

Walking quick…
Mesquite thick…
We reach his normal place.
Mending wire…
Fingers tire…
The sun and I will race.

Another chore…
Many more…
The work is never done.
Mounting up…
Shouting “giddiup!”…
We’ll go find the other one.

Ending day…
Happy play…
Sun setting in the west.
Today flew…
Tomorrow, too…
We’ll do our very best.