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Cowboy Poets

Tuesday March 8th, 2011

You may not have known that there is an annual Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Yet, we are fortunate to live in such a world; a world which not only retains a significant, if not overwhelming, cowboy presence, and in which these cowboys are prepared to compose and recite poetry for the edification of city slickers everywhere. Even more fortunately, we have Jay B Sauceda to attend the event and bring us pictures of the poets themselves.

The above cowboy, Robert Chaison said to Jay as he was wrapping up the portrait, “vaya con dios.” Below you will see another cowboy poet named Fred Rooker. Fred explained to Jay that he is “spinnin’ guns and twine. Spinnin’ yarns that rhyme.” Jay admits, “I’m not sure exactly what he meant by that.”

Wikipedia gives a useful explanation of the art form in question:

Cowboy poetry is a form of poetry which grew out of a tradition of extemporaneous composition carried on by workers on cattle drives and ranches. After a day of work, cowboys would gather around a campfire and entertain one another with tall tales and folk songs. Illiteracy was common, so poetic forms were employed to aid memory.

Contrary to common belief, cowboy poetry does not actually have to be written by cowboys, though adherents would claim that authors should have some connection to the cowboy life such that they can write poetry with an “insider’s perspective.”

I tracked down one quite interesting example of the poetry read at the gathering, and have embedded it below. Please enjoy this insider’s perspective.