JAMES VASQUEZ
Ellensburg, Washington
About James Vasquez
Stay in the Saddle
So yer name's been called and he's waitin',
With fire in belly and eye,
That horse never took to a rider,
And ain't gonna' lay down and die.
The crowd's all a'cheering for someone,
To give him a lesson or two.
Yer sweetheart's up there 'mongst the thousands,
She's hoping that somehow it's you.
There's glory enough for the cowboy,
Who stays in the saddle a while,
So don't let that bronco derail ya',
No matter how pretty yer style.
Forget all the men who before you,
Won fame and a bundle as well,
For now it's just you or that bronco,
About to bid fortune farewell.
So stay right on top and don't lose him,
Through all of his buckin' and spins,
That gal in the stands sittin' pretty,
Will cling to the cowboy who wins.
© 2004, James Vasquez
This poem may not be reprinted or reposted without the author's written permission.
About James Vasquez:
I am the 9th of 10 children my parents had, raised in Southern California, where my ancestors (both Mexican and California Indian) lived before California became a state. I'm a graduate of the University of Redlands, doctorate from UCLA and Master's from Fuller Theological Seminary. I recently retired as a professor from the University of Washington (Seattle) and have lived in Ellensburg, Washington with my wife since then. Most of my poems are based on accounts/persons in the Scriptures and I've published over 50, winning half a dozen or more awards.
James Vasquez's book, Women of the Bible: Their Stories in Verse (ISBN 0-9755554-4-8) was published in August, 2005 and is available for $10 from
From the publisher's book description:
Women of The Bible: Their Stories In Verse is dedicated to the women in every land whose courage, wisdom and love have gained for their men and children greater wealth than has ever been counted and richer blessings than have ever been told, who have been content when not recognized for all they have sacrificed every hour of the day. Your reward is due now but will be fully yours only in heaven.Has the world ever known a greater tribute to women than that found in Proverbs 31? Here we see a woman who rises while it is yet dark and is still busy long after sunset, who prepares clothes for her family — thus she can laugh at "the days to come," including cold winter days — treats household servants well and gives to the poor; who engages in business for family's sake, including trading and bringing her goods "from afar" to set a better table; who teaches others wisely and, it seems, in every way brings honor to her husband and children. Thus they praise her and rise to call her blessed. Her husband reaps the benefits of this industrious and devoted woman for when he takes his place among the elders of the city they respectfully acknowledge him. Indeed, her worth cannot be measured even when compared to "many rubies."
As the stories told in verse within this book attest, women were called on to make daring contributions, often risking their lives, that showed how far ahead of men they were in readiness to pray, to declare God's message to his and other people, to wait patiently on God, to sacrifice their most prized possessions (family, homeland) and to wage war when necessary. These and other women bore testimony in quiet testing and joyous praise to God's goodness.
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