~ A Rancher’s Wife…

She’s up in the morning
two hours before dawn
has done most of her chores
before the lights come on

Already milked the cows
and gathered up the eggs
even put liniment
on the horse’s sore legs

Bacon and eggs are cooked
the biscuits are baked brown
the gravy has been stirred
and the plates laid down

Once the pans are empty
the last bread’s been buttered
the men tack their horses
while she clears the clutter

Now a fifty mile drive
just to get to the store
to pick up the supplies
they have been waiting for

Time to fry the chicken
and put beef in the beans
cause stomachs on the ranch
are never full it seems

After serving the meal
and cleaning up the mess
she’ll ride out to the range
and work beside the rest

She has to be able
to ride fence, rope and brand
just as good as any
of those other hired hands

When the day is over
tired and hungry as hell
the men wash up and get
set for the supper bell

She’ll be in the kitchen
cooking vittles again
Cause work for a ranch wife
never comes to an end

~ Sunday…

I rise up early to breathe the crisp clean air
of winds blowing ‘cross the grass wondrous and fair

Across the valley the mountains rise up high
jagged purple peaks piercing the azure sky

Eagles soar ‘cross the sun looking for a meal
it’s as close to God as any man might feel

Seeing new calves breathing their first taste of spring
on limp legs, to its mother a young foal clings

Out in the grass a meadowlark courts its mate
with a song so sweet that it makes my heart ache

The bugling of elks welcome the morning light
at the foot of the ridge somewhere out of site

Across my front yard nature is at its best
here on my front porch I’d love to sit and rest

But cattle are crying, they need attending
winter was hard so there’s fences need mending

I hoist my coffee in a toast to the hand
that made me a part of his glorious plan

So I’ll take a moment, contemplate and pray
On the ranch, Sunday is just another day

Prairie Time
Jerry Brotherton
copyright 2020