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Memories Gone By
by K L Morris

Riding on a carousel horse
I remember how it was then
Miles on miles of rangeland of course
Grandpa settled the land.

Horses were bought and sold for not much
We valued them for cow sense
We roped and cut and reined with spur touch
using our hard footed geldings.

Work was done roaming wide and far
Bulls turned out, cow calves to bring in
Roped and tied then branded with a bar
"Watch the fire don't go out."

Roaming across the land we owned
Riding from valley to valley
Looking for strays, some were just bones,
Counting the herd at the ranch.

Neighbor helped neighbor for miles around
Working alone was expected
Motherless calf left to die was found
by covering barbed wire miles.

Now as I ride, I think of the past
Here on the place that I love
Dad said ranching would never last
While dividing the land that he loved.

Ol' coyote's trail is still there to be
Something his grandkids keep open
I look in the mirror and what do I see
Granddad is staring at me.

The old ranch house they say is quaint
My grandson told me last year
His horse, a stallion, is known as a paint
Soft feet means chrome for the show.

A stallion for my grandson of course
Durn thing never thinks about work
Bathing and primping and brushing the horse
He tells me he is a cowboy.

My bones are old but my mount is young
Bloodlines of an old doc I hear
Memories past, my spurs have been hung
Blacktop I ride on a push button horse.

Copyright ©2003   K L Morris.  All rights reserved.