Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A DANCE AT THE RANCH, by ANONYMOUS First Line: "from every point they gaily come, the bronco's unshod feet" Subject(s): Cowboys;dancing & Dancers;ranch Life;west (u.s.); Southwest;pacific States | ||||||||
FROM every point they gaily come, the broncho's unshod feet Pat at the green sod of the range with quick, emphatic beat; The tresses of the buxom girls as banners stream behind Like silken, castigating whips cut at the sweeping wind. The dashing cowboys, brown of face, sit in their saddle thrones And sing the wild songs of the range in free, uncultured tones, Or ride beside the pretty girls, like gallant cavaliers, And pour the usual fairy tales into their list'ning ears. Within the "best room" of the ranch the jolly gathered throng Buzz like a hive of human bees and lade the air with song; The maidens tap their sweetest smiles and give their tongues full rein In efforts to entrap the boys in admiration's chain. The fiddler tunes the strings with pick of thumb and scrape of bow, Finds one string keyed a note too high, another one too low; Then rosins up the tight-drawn hairs, the young folks in a fret Until their ears are greeted with the warning words, "All set! S'lute yer pardners! Let 'er go! Balance all an' do-ce-do! Swing yer girls an' run away! Right an' left an' gents sashay! Gents to right an' swing or cheat! On to next gal an' repeat! Balance next an' don't be shy! Swing yer pard an' swing 'er high! Bunch the gals an' circle round! Whack yer feet until they bound! Form a basket! Break away! Swing an' kiss an' all git gay! Al'man left an' balance all! Lift yer hoofs an' let 'em fall! Swing yer op'sites! Swing agin! Kiss the sagehens if you kin!" An' thus the merry dance went on till morning's struggling light In lengthening streaks of grey breaks down the barriers of the night, And broncs are mounted in the glow of early morning skies By weary-limbed young revelers with drooping, sleepy eyes. The cowboys to the ranges speed to "work" the lowing herds, The girls within their chambers hide their sleep like weary birds, And for a week the young folks talk of what a jolly spree They had that night at Jackson's ranch down on the Owyhee. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...WESTERN WAGONS by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET DRIVING WEST IN 1970 by ROBERT BLY IN THE HELLGATE WIND by MADELINE DEFREES A PERIOD PORTRAIT OF SYMPATHY by EDWARD DORN ASSORTED COMPLIMENTS by EDWARD DORN AT THE COWBOY PANEL by EDWARD DORN TIS A LITTLE JOURNEY by ANONYMOUS |
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