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The Real Truth |
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Small Town Hotels, it's quite a place
A lot of people there have really lost face
Coffee row in the morning to discuss world affairs
And a few locals get more than their fair share.
But out of this bad arises much good
Things are discussed thoroughly, as they really should
It's an unpaid jury getting all the facts
Bad is discussed, while good points are racked.
How did it happen, who is to blame
If things are real serious, the consensus it's a shame
Maybe some of us could help, we'll give them a call
The censuses to do good it just isn't small.
Hidden deep in their hearts it could of been them
If their life had been different that some problem could stem
A lot of compassion after the first great onslaught
Some did the same things they just didn't get caught.
The discussion it rages, it gets all it's worth
Malicious gossip it sure is a curse
But from this strange jury the truth does appear
The people who relay these stories, the truth is quite near.
So to this unpaid jury we should sing their praise
If somebody brings an untruth their credit ability is raised
To lose face in this group, well it's not what to do
So lies and malicious gossip it's just less than a few.
So strange as it seems, coffee row has its place
It's very important to the whole human race
Without coffee row just where would we be
Running around with half truths, a mess you can see.
Politics, taxes, laws just unfold
From these meetings politicians are informed and told
If they would just listen to the wisdom from there
They'd have a long life in a presidents chair.
Actually from these morning meetings the community is run
Discussing these issues its really fun
And the game before leaving is played with much skill
You don't want to be the one winning while paying the bill.
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Like to be a Rancher |
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My brother came stood by my door
Said one of our bulls legs was broken or sore
Which bull I asked, he knew not what
the only way he could tell if the bull was caught.
I know these bulls, so I will go see
I'm hoping it's not one of our very best three
Replace them we will not be able to do
The caliber of these bulls are hard to come by expensive and few.
It's thirty below, but over I'll go
To get this bull we'll have to remove the snow
The bulls run in a forty acre plot
These big range bulls don't like to get caught.
The snow is deep in the corals and pens
The four wheel drive with the bucket we'll send
To make a road and clear the chute
In case we and the big bull get into a dispute.
I'll finish this poem when I get back
This poem will help you kind of keep track
Of part of a day in a ranchers life
You will understand why he must call on his wife.
Dear I have to go and check on a bull
The cows are calving, will you go pull
The ones from the pen that calve before I get back
Can you dry them off with that old grain sack.
Or the baby may freeze or lose his ears
If he freezes to death his mother surely will have tears
And we'll be short of money come next fall
I'll take my cell with me in case you need to give me a call.
252 was the bull, I almost cried
His calves, the very best at their mothers side
His front leg was swollen to the knee
The injury he had I could not see.
The bucket on the bye directional was broke
When you need it bad it isn't a joke
Fifty miles to go to get some pins
The speed I went, well I guess I sinned.
Bucket together, two new calves in the barn
When you're calving in the winter, take priority on the farm
It's five o'clock, you take a seat
You need a few minutes off your feet.
You go to one, I'll get up at two
35 below tonight, I hope the calves are few
Did 608 suck or does he still need help
He finely decided to suck, the little whelp.
Tomorrow supposed to be warmer, I sure hope so
Tagging all the new born calves has been real slow
If it's warm we'll tag that lot in the barn
Hopefully the ears are a little older and they'll come to no harm.
In between all the work we'll go get the bull
We'll take the four wheel drive, so the trailer we can pull
By the horse barn a little coral and shed
We'll look after him there and see he's well fed.
The sale bulls need to be semen checked
If it's a cold day it will be a wreck
Fingers crossed for the weather to be sunny and warm
Can't semen check if it's cold or starts to storm.
The work on the ranch just never recedes
Because every day the cattle, you must look after and feed
Forty hours a week, boy that would be nice
On a ranch or farm you work that twice.
Seems there's never a time that's really slow
There's always something to do so you can't really go
This way of life may be classed as great
I wonder in years ahead what will be its fate.
The younger generation is moving away
This way of life they do not want to stay
Small empires built and are now tumbling down
I'm afraid we're going to follow our proud prairie towns.
We've grown the food and fed all we could
We all worked hard and I'm sure we should
I can't go on my body is tired and sore
Who's going to fill our shoes for the food at the store.
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Could Be Worse |
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The internet needs a poem
So all over the world, my words can roam
I wonder what people like to read
My next words have to be interesting, their minds to seed
It hasn't rained, can't seem to snow
Feed stacks sitting in a pretty short row
Got enough feed till the end of May
For any more feed I can not pay
Things have been tougher, I've seen it all
Its quite a few years since I was small
When I was small we lived off the land
Everyone worked, gave each other a hand
Didn't have a boat or an extra car
In fact we didn't really go very far
The garden was big, with an extra row
And in between them, we did hoe
Morning and night we milked the cows
And in between we rode the plows
And at the end of every day
We curried our horses and fed them hay
At the store we bought what we couldn't grow
For the storekeepers sales were real slow
It's not like it is at the store today
Everything you eat you pay pay pay
We grew vegetables and canned the rest
Right out of the garden , they were the best
Chickens and eggs we had on the farm
The rooster in the morning was our alarm
We milked the cows and fed the pigs
Grained the steers until they were in good rig
Butchered our beef and cured our hams
From the neighbor, traded for virgin rams
Some wood we cut, with a little coal
Hauled it home with a mare in foal
In the winter it kept us cosy and warm
Many children in those months were surely born
Everyday I now wake up on this farm
By the ringing of an electric alarm
The thermostat gives off constant heat
No need to back up to the stove to warm your seat
Running water in the bathroom, hot and cold
Big fussy towels with just the right fold
Flush toilet where you can take your ease
No more frosty toilet seats and very cold knees
An electric stove, don't need no wood
In case there's some smoke, an electric hood
Turn a button, instant heat
And in the fridge an assortment of meat
Bread in a wrapper, baked in town
White and Rye and a loaf of Brown
A dozen eggs in a carton right there
Different brands of bacon, breakfast should be fair
Flip the toaster, you have some toast
Used to use a fork in a slice over the coals you did roast
You have your breakfast, the dishwasher right by
From the old way, a real far cry
Push a little button your car starts up
So coffee you can have, one more cup
No horses to harness or hook to the sleigh
If you're going somewhere on a very cold day
So you think it's tough if it doesn't rain
Don't see you shoveling out a very stuck train
Hauling straw for feed, ten miles or more
Your muscles real cold and your shoulders sore
Don't see you wondering, if the flour will last
So the kids can eat, you and your wife try to fast
Things are pretty good all around
Most places two cars to go to town
Food stores are your garden now
To get your milk, you don't milk the cow
Or churn your butter or bake your bread
Not many wonder if their kids will get fed
We are just in a different way of life
No more gardening for the wife
Or driving horses and pitching hay
Could be we gave them a bit too much say
If the farm goes broke well what the heck
Besides us society will be in our wreck
So you politicians you better take heed
Everything we produce is the worlds greatest need
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Disaster |
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The ranch was up and running, the children three or four
The pickup a lot more shiny that stood before the door
The tax man replaced the banker that used to come to call
The banker left with a big smile three years ago last fall.
New paint about the buildings, new rugs down the old hall
The youngest of the children has grown really tall
Everything was rosy at the Calf Sale in the fall
Then a few doors were left open and disaster came to call.
Ranch life is hard and lonely, you must dedicate your life
The rancher thought he was doing this for his family and his wife
The wife just grew more lonely, on her neighbors she did call
While disaster crept in on steps so small, so very small.
Slowly the happy smile was replaced with a frown
When the rancher couldn't understand what his wife done in town
Ranch life is hard and lonely on the people who are there
To say who is to blame, it really isn't fair.
The wives have lots to do when the children are quite small
As the children grow older, disaster comes to call
The happy smile was gone when the rancher opened his door
He didn't feel like smiling first, his back was just too sore.
Slowly disaster clings about the place
Things that used to get done are at a slower pace
Fences cry out as they begin to fall
Work becomes a burden no matter just how small.
Slowly the life just went out of the place
A little harder each day for each of them to face
A few attempts with each to get things back on track
Too many hurt feelings become too big a fact.
Now ranching is a shared hard way of life
It's very hard on a man and his rancher wife
So watch out for disaster if he should come to call
Stop him in his tracks when his steps are very small.
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Greg and the Cat |
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The bar at Coleville, Greg wanted to own
He wanted to make that place his home.
How in the world could he get by
Own that place he had to try.
Selling green Iron used to be great
A real good living at any rate.
Wheat went from six then down to two,
Couldn't make a sale, no matter what you'd do.
I want a place where I'm the boss
Someone to pick up my clothes if I should toss.
My meals I want them served just right,
I want to be home when I get tight.
I'm tired of working, I did my best
I need a job where I can get my rest.
Now the Coleville Hotel looks like the place to be,
By being the boss, my time would be free.
Greg figured and figured and thought some more.
He thought and thought till his head was sore.
But out of the figuring he hatched a plan,
and got enough money to pay the man.
The cat watched Greg as he went by,
This old alley cat was pretty sly.
He lived a pretty hard life,
Lived alone, didn't have a wife.
The younger Toms were getting darn tough,
The last two fights, he'd felt pretty rough.
Hunting was getting pretty darn lean,
The couple of new dogs in town were viscous and mean.
Now this hotel life looks real good,
I'd like to get in there if I could.
I'd be warm, and fed, wouldn't have to fight,
Wouldn't freeze in this alley on a winter night.
The cat got in, Greg let him stay.
His only job was to keep the mice away,
Now this hotel is rodent free,
The cat does nothing, I'm sure you'll see.
Now Greg's staff they do all the work,
I suppose the odd time there's an unforeseen quirk.
Then from his penthouse he does emerge,
Cures the problem with wisdom and words.
Greg lives in the penthouse on the top floor,
The cat lives better down one door.
Now who's the smartest, Greg or the cat?
I believe they both need the tip of the hat!
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The Girl Across the Yard |
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To the girl across the yard
I couldn't find a proper card
To congratulate you on this special day
Graduation is your take home pay.
For all twelve years you spent in school
From those twelve years you have the tools
To have a productive and happy life
A career, a job, or be a wife.
So set your goals and keep them high
You can achieve anything if you really try.
The ebbs of life flow high and low
Sometimes it's fast and sometimes it's slow.
Life is good if you give it your best
It seems set up to give you the test
To really see what makes you tick
But all these tests I'm sure you'll beat.
As you grew up across the yard
Sometimes for you things were quite hard.
I've watched you overcome them day by day
At your work and while you played.
I'll miss your wave and friendly smile
Also the talks we had once in a while.
The best to you as you go your way
I know in this place you can not stay.
Amber, life is beautiful and so are you
God bestowed many gifts on you, they weren't so few.
Remember you're special, and just one of a kind
Come back and visit us at any time.
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Winter Calving: Miracle of Life |
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The Cow's we calve from morn to morn
After awhile you get pretty worn
Four in the box stalls still all wet
Two more are ready, the gates are set
Come on old cow you have to go
Can't have your baby out here in the snow
Slowly we move her down the lane
Sometimes we threaten her with a cane
We get her in a box stall, all bedded and warm
To watch her, or get the other cow we feel torn
Her baby may come while we are gone
Should stay with her to make sure the baby don't come wrong.
She spins in the stall and then lays down
Feet coming right, takes away our frown
A few hard pushes then one big heave
A baby is laying on last years threshed sheaves.
Then it takes a breath and before your eyes
Life flows through it, and stand up it tries
Wobbly at first, then it's first step
This miracle of life should not be kept.
Within minutes it takes it's first big suck
Everything went well, we thank our luck
Then out to the corral to check some more
Can't stop because your body is tired and sore.
Another backed in the corner, staking out her claim
Have to really threaten this one with the stockmans cane
She made up her mind, she wants to stay
You stop and think it over, it's quite sunny today.
Okay old girl, you just go right ahead
And have your new baby in that bed
The sun is bright and some heat I feel
After you have it, I'll come back and steel
This little black calf all wet and new
And put it in the box with the other two
Till it's dry and warm, and can walk and play
Then I'll bring it back with you to stay.
There's a heifer over there with her tail in the air
Can't leave her with the main herd, it's just not fair
Her first baby, she may not just know what to do
So we will put her in the barn with the other few.
Hour after hour, the calving goes on
You just get numb and feel like a pawn
You're needed here, better get over there
Can't even use a bale for a needed chair.
Then you walk to the pen near by
Realizing it's worth the try
The calves are happy and full of fun
Playing and frolicking in the sun
Their mothers all standing quite near by
In case they hear their new baby cry.
You check the calves, they're all okay
Things are going pretty good today
A certain peace surrounds this place
You go back, check the new born calves, just in case.
The miracle of life happens before your eyes
You kind of look up, thank the guy in the sky
Life's all around you, happening everywhere
Thank you Lord for letting me share.
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