Any other Cowboy Poets / fans? Here's the place to poetize and spin yer yarns. I'll start it off with one of mine...

Free Verse

As I take pen in hand once again boys
I’ll try not to be too terse
But I’ve got a rant to get off’n my chest
‘bout this stuff they’re callin “free verse”

Now some of it’s beautiful writin’
Might even move you to tears
But it ain’t got the rhyme or the meter
That’s been Poetry’s hallmark for years

Some folks they get quite a beat going
But their language, it couldn’t be worse
They just cuss in rhythm, they call it Rap
Myself, I call it Vice~Verse!

Try using a Quatrain for a short form
Or Haiku, that gets used a lot
Or maybe Iambic Pentameter
If you want you tongue tied in a knot

Most basic of all is a Couplet
That’s how this one is written you see
Just two lines that rhyme at the end
Like most Cowboy Poetry

But this new~fangled free versin’ coffee house stuff
Could try the patience of a saint
So pard, if you’re writin’ and it don’t rhyme
Then Poetry it ain’t!

Lol....I was never good at poetry!!

Please don't judge me too harshly!!

Howdy Vivian,
well, if you're interested, do what the rest of us do...rehearse in public!

Well I'm not rehearsing but will welcome yah

Wild Horses

See him open his stride, as he chases the sun
Heart and hooves making thunder on the plains
The King of the prairie, a symbol of freedom
Wild as the wind that blows through his mane


Of proud Spanish blood, the old world’s finest
With Cortez he sailed on the Spanish Main
Served Conquistadors down south of the border
Then cross the wide river to Texas he came


Still called by the Spanish name El Cimmaron
Mestengo, or Mustang as he came to be known
Friend to the Cowboy, and also the Indian
Sire of the Dun, and Strawberry Roan


Like Earthquake or Cyclone, Fire or Flood
They’re one of The West’s primal forces
May God in His mercy, from Heaven above
Grant there always shall be Wild Horses

Nope, not interested!

Eh-hm, all cowboy poetry does not rhyme - I believe your describing Dr. Seuss.

I invite you to visit any Cowboy Poetry gathering, or read some of the work on Cowboypoetry.com. You'll find that Ryhme and meter are common to all Cowboy Poetry. Now there are many Western Story Tellers who use visual imagery, and spin a darn good yarn, but it is not Poetry.

Good thing all are not quite so biased and will include essays and other forms in their published content. But, since you seem so "dead set" on it, here ya go.

Biff, the wrangler,
went out one day.
Ridin' his ol paint
roundin up strays.

He brought home a calf
wearin' another's brand.
His woman went wild!
Why? He just couldn't understand.

He watched in a-MAZE-ment
as she hog tied that calf,
ignorin' it's cries
as she traced round the brand.

Then she bellowed in a voice
that hit like a 2 x 4;
"Biff, you're a wrangler,
not a rustler, I know this for shore!"

"I strongly urge
you to cowboy up again
and take this one back
to his home pen."

Now, ol Biff,
he was stubborn with a strong
helping of pride
on the side.

Disgruntled and mumbling,
he saddled up to ride.
"Big mouthed woman", he grumbled,
As he caught her eye.

He leaned down to her,
as he passed by, for a kiss
and heard her whisper softly,
"Thank you, Biff, you're better than this."

Grins,
an excellent piece of verse Wench, thanks for sharing it!
And lest you get the wrong idea, I enjoy essays, storytelling, etc, I just don't call them poetry, because they aren't. One of my pards, who is a past president of the Texas Cowboy Poetry Association doubles as a storyteller, and one of his most popular stories is the tale of Henry Harrison Poe, and the murder Steer. Not a rhyme in sight, and it makes no difference whatever to it being a great story (and a way to sneak a little history in to an unsuspecting audience)
But you do bring up a good point. While the name of the thread is Cowboy Poetry, Western stories and essays are also welcome and appreciated!

Are you only speaking here of "Cowboy Poetry"?


if not, Hafiz was writing poetry that doesn't rhyme in the 13th Century ... and Rumi before him ...


Sometimes I rhyme... sometimes I don't ...

Generally speaking, I find free verse more interesting, less predictable, highly emotive and less cliche ... I don't like to be able to anticipate the word that is coming next ... but that is just personal preference.


Thank you for sharing

Yes, I was specifically speaking of Cowboy Poetry. Free verse is quite old (though structured forms are far older) and has become more popular in (relatively) recent times, but Cowboy Poetry as a specific art form uses only structured forms, although any rhyme scheme and cadence can be used.