.
Cattleman
Sinewed arms and knotted hands,
head inclined, intense you peer
Toward the heavens, clear-sky eyes
Viewing the parade of years.
Corrals of cattle, sagebrush, sun
with grief and gratitude are blessed,
Nestled in a weathered heart,
like heirlooms in a cedar chest.
Few now ask to see them, these,
your treasures of a life lived free,
But here upon this hospice bed
they glow with desert clarity.
Now eighty years, your rawhide stretched,
your focus turning slow toward me;
You ask to hear the story told,
This Eve of the Nativity.
Attentive eyes unmask my smile
with patience born of one who’s seen
Countless seasons, rich and spare,
life and loved ones in between.
No notion here of letting go,
Of gently greeting that good night.
You listen, resolute and calm,
You’ll hail again the morning light.
.
.
Dan Tuton is a poet living in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After an initial career as a family therapist, he has been ordained as an Episcopal priest since early in 2004. He initially served a parish in the Baltimore area for four years, and have been the Vicar, then Rector of Hope in the Desert in Albuquerque until retiring in 2023.
Dan;
A powerful and moving poem about a strong man and old age. I loved it.
Thank you very much, Phil! Fred, the real-life cowboy in the poem, reminded me a lot of my own dad.
Dan, this belongs in a 1st-class poetry book. Perhaps you’ve managed that? It appears you have a knack for penning exceptional verse – hope to see more of your work.
Mark, thanks very much for your words of encouragement. I deeply appreciate your approbation, and now that I’m retired, I hope to be a somewhat more frequent contributor.
The cowboy is truly symbolic of the American west, and this poem is a nice tribute to them.
Thank you Cheryl! I appreciate your encouragement.
This poem resonates with me because I have lived among the cowboy culture in West Texas. I can sense your caring nature in your finely penned poem. Thank you for sharing with us.
Thank you, Roy, for your kind words. I’m glad the poem resonates with your background and experiences. Good to know you’re a kindred spirit.
This is so precious… I live in rural Wy surrounded by cattle and Cowboys.
Thank you!
Thank you, Peg! What part of Wyoming are you in?
This is a beautiful poem. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you Norma!
This is such a beautiful poem, Fr. Dan — an observant and compassionate character study of an old cattleman with a weathered (but not withered) heart reluctantly approaching death and ready (at long last?) to hear the greatest of all stories. But to those of us who have experienced life in your neck of the woods, you take those “corrals of cattle, sagebrush and sun” and do even more — you capture a piece of the Old West’s soul.
Thank you so much, Brian, for your encouragement and inspiration. I always look forward to your prolific and unwaveringly excellent works.
Dan,
Norma said it already, but it bears repeating. I also enjoyed your beautiful poem.
Thank you very much, Anna!
This is very poignant, Dan. “Now eighty years, your rawhide stretched” is an especially apt image and emotionally moving phrase. I also like the way you gracefully worked in your allusion to “Do not go gentle into that good night.” The poet’s compassion shows through, without collapsing into sentimentality. Lovely poem.
Thank you so much Cynthia! What an encouragement to hear how closely you read the poem and affirmed my intentions.
A strong, poignant poem.
I loved the ‘eighty years, your rawhide stretched’ line. What a great image to represent the appearance of age in a cowboy.
Thanks for the read.
Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to respond to it, Paul!
Cowboys combined with the phrase “This Eve of the Nativity” reminded me of the shepherds who were visited by the angels a little over 2,000 years ago. Cowboys and shepherds have many similarities.
Great poem!
Thanks very much for your response, Warren! I love your reminder of the pastoral (in more than one sense) nature of the visitation by the shepherds. Much appreciated!
Thank you very much, Phil! Fred, the real-life cowboy in the poem, reminded me a lot of my own dad.
I love the images and the language that brings them to life.
Thank you, Lois!
Dan,
What a poignant tribute to an outdoor life of faith. Thank you.
Thank you, John, great to hear from you!
Dan, I’m glad your allusion to “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” corrects the corrosive advice of “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” What hellish counsel for poet Dylan Thomas to give his father! You show true maturity here in the resolute calm of the weathered cattleman. And that word as title reflects the spiritual attitude of someone who wants his comfort in hospice to be a repetition of the Nativity story. Not a “cowboy” any longer! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
What wonderful words, Margaret! Thank you. I get the feeling that Thomas’ words were a projection of his own rage at inevitable mortality. His was a ragged life cut short. I find the assurance of a life “changed, not ended” to be invaluable. Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones as well!
This is anything but ordinary cowboy poetry; in fact, the very suggestion of a cowboy was incidental and accidental. This is about every person, every life. You have done good, and you have done it well. I have been lifted up by it.
Thank you very much for your response, C.B. Our struggle entailing the meaning of our lives and the reality of being mortal is certainly one we all hold in common. I was blessed enough to be a minor participant in this particular man’s “crossroads experience”. He was a real cattleman whose name was Fred. He owned and operated a ranch in northeast New Mexico, not far from the town of Raton. He has since left this life confident of his spiritual trajectory. C.B., I’m delighted that you felt uplifted by the poem! Merry Christmas!
I almost missed this shining gem that brings perspective to troubled times as it focuses hearts and minds on the reason for we celebrate Christmas. Thank you for your beautiful poetry – a timely reminder of why.
Thanks so much Susan! I deeply appreciate your words. And Merry Christmas to you!