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Open Poetry #46
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Gunslinger
Senior Member
since 1999-10-09
Posts 901
TX, USA

0 posted 2010-10-13 01:44 PM



Ride or Bust

Rolling west on Ninety-
Headed for Alpine…
Four straight weeks of buckin’ off-
Is all I left behind.
I mailed ahead my entries-
Back when I was flush.
I’m down to my last tank of gas-
I’ll either ride, or bust.
My Wrangler jeans are faded-
My boots are wearin’ thin-
My belly thinks my throat’s been cut,
Tonight I’d better win.
It’s been a long hard season-
I guess that’s all for us-
The rodeo’s all I have left…
I guess it’s ride or bust.
I cinch my bucking saddle
Down on a blue roan hide…
I settle down astraddle…
Then the chute gate opens wide.
I nail him in the shoulders-
I know I’ve marked him clean…
I’m spurring with his rhythm
He’s bucking high and mean…
I hear the buzzer sounding-
And the crowd is going wild.
I bail off cleanly, tip my hat…
I guess they like my style.
Eighty-four the judges say-
I finished in the dough…
I’ll ride again tomorrow-
Then I’ll head on down the road.
And when I call the wife tonight-
I know she’s gonna fuss…
She’d rather that I hung it up-
But knows I’ll ride or bust!



© Copyright 2010 John R. Yaws - All Rights Reserved
s1nfully_1nn0c3nt
Senior Member
since 2003-10-26
Posts 1105
Watertown, NY
1 posted 2010-10-13 05:00 PM


Ooohh... Thanx for bringing me along to the rodeo - I can just picture all of this in my mind. Great write.

-Trina.

"To decieve ones self, is truly a grueling battle. One which we're destined to lose."

The Lady
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-12-26
Posts 7634
The Southwest
2 posted 2010-10-13 05:42 PM




yup... you're a fer real cowboy all right
and this is a real cowboy poem

I love it!

Andrew Scott
Member Elite
since 1999-06-24
Posts 2558
Redlands,CA,USA
3 posted 2010-10-13 10:58 PM


From what I've seen that "bust" can be pretty brutal. This was a fine read. Thanks for sharing. Ride on!

"We'll chase them like rats across the tundra."

Earl Brinkman
Senior Member
since 2010-03-03
Posts 1183
Osaka, Japan
4 posted 2010-10-14 12:11 PM


This totally outside my relm which is what made it so enjoyable.
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