Happy

Painting by Bill Jaxon

HAPPY

I’ve spent my whole life livin’,
dreamin’ through my pony’s ears.
Done a heap of separatin’,
sortin’ out the sweat and tears.

Been a first calf heifer’s mid-wife
in a blizzard’s howlin’ wind.
Shared my wood stove with them babies
on a bad night, eight or ten.

I’ve swam that ragin’ current
just to save some dyin’ calf.
Some tangle-footed, tryin’ colts
made me sit and pet and laugh.

The sun-ups and the sun-sets
makes you close to Charlie Russell:
Swirlin’ blue, the burnin’ hair smoke,
spring brandin’s dust and hustle.

Them baby calves a fightin’,
or a buckin’ through spring flowers.
Settin’ waterlogged and soakin’,
watchin’ rainbows ‘tween them showers.

The hide that I’ve left smokin’
on some dally’s never found.
There’s a little more that’s scattered
‘round some “homesteads” on the ground.

But I gotta say I’m happy,
and here’s the reason why.
My wife rides close beside me,
and she’ll be there till I die.


Leon Flick