PEGGY COLEMAN
Oklahoma
About Peggy Coleman
The Ride
The cowboy climbs on the big black horse
He can feel him quiver with rage
This horse called Fury NO cowboy's rode
But tonight that's gonna change
He checks his riggin', nods to the crowd
As if to say "Don't worry, I'm a COWBOY
And tonight's the night--I'll ride this horse called Fury.
He gives the signal--the gate opens wide
Fury bursts from the chute with a scream
Buckin', Snortin', Sunfishin' high
In his eyes a menacin' gleam
The cowboy spurs from front to back,
Fury responds with a leap
The cowboy's holdin' his own on this bronc
But that buckle ain't gonna come cheap
Then the sound every cowboy longs to hear
The bell says 8 seconds has passed
He jumps from the bronc,
Waves to the crowd--------
THEN WAKES FROM HIS DREAM AT LAST . . .
Then grandma's cowboy climbs out of bed
Dons his boots and jeans
They'll go to the rodeo, he'll ride the sheep
And ride the broncs in his dreams.
Heroes and Cowboys
A little cowboy saw the mechanical bull
Then he strode to the operators side
Pulled himself up as tall as he could
--Said "Mister, I'd like to ride "
The old man sized up the kid and said
"Climb on if you think you can"
The kid tried to hide a smile as he mounted
---Today he'd show he was a man
The old man moved the bull real slow,
'Cause the kid only looked 6 or 7
With his arm in the air, and spurrin' hard
This kid was in cowboy heaven
When the ride was over the old man said
--Thinkin' he'd make the kid proud--
"Nice ride, kid! you done real good"
And the same was heard from the crowd
The kid turned and looked at the old man and said
"ANYBODY can ride that slow--
Now make that bull buck--I know how to ride
I learned from Lane Frost videos"
So the challenge was made as they gazed eye to eye
Then the old man nodded and smiled
He'd seen that same look in the mirror many times
When he gazed at himself as a child
He knew this kid had a cowboy's heart
He'd bust them bulls some day
So the old man knew he had to do his part
This ride, to the kid, wasn't play
The ride was on--the kid rode tight
With arm waving high in the air
The old man whipped the bull to and fro
The kid saw that bulls nostrils flare
That wild bull spun to the left, then right
The kid held on white knuckled
A buck and a hard spin but he held his seat
He was dreamin' of that rodeo buckle
The ride was over and their eyes met again
---each new respect for the other
The old man met a new cowboy that day
And of heroes--the kid had another© 2003, Peggy Coleman
We asked Peggy what inspired this poem and she told us: My grandson is 7 years old and has gone on the cattle drive in Pawnee with me every year since he was 2. He dreams of being a cowboy. He sang at Lubbock with me so I took him to Dodge City this past summer to sing with me there. When we walked onto the grounds, he spotted the mechanical bull and said, "Grandma, can I ride that bull?" And the rest went just like the poem says. The man who owned the bull looked at me the second time Brent went to ride, and I told him to give it to him. He really did and was surprised when Brent held on. Brent ran out of money to ride very quickly, but the man let him ride free several times the next day. On the way home, I started writing the poem in my head.
About Peggy Coleman:
Peggy Coleman says she "heads up entertainment for a Cattle Drive/Wagon train every year in Pawnee, Oklahoma. We have a great time on the drive, which kicks off our rodeo. I also perform at various festivals, fairs, and poet gatherings around the country. I really like doing those. I am on the board of directors of the Western Music Association, and president of the Oklahoma Chapter. . . I love cowboy poetry, music, and the way of life."
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