THE dust hangs thick upon the trail And the horns and the hoofs are clashing, While off at the side through the chaparral The men and the strays go crashing; But in right good cheer the cowboy sings, For the work of the fall is ending, And then it's ride for the old home ranch Where a maid love's light is tending. Then it's crack! crack! crack! On the beef steer's back, And it's run, you slow-foot devil; For I'm soon to turn back where through the black Love's lamp gleams along the level. He's trailed them far o'er the trackless range, Has this knight of the saddle leather; He has risked his life in the mad stampede, And has breasted all kinds of weather. But now is the end of the trail in sight, And the hours on wings are sliding; For it's back to the home and the only girl When the foreman O K's the option. Then it's quirt! quirt! quirt! And it's run or git hurt, You hang-back, bawling critter. For a man who's in love with a turtle dove Ain't got no time to fritter. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BIRTH SONG OF CHRIST by EDMUND HAMILTON SEARS OZYMANDIAS by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY ON CHLORIS WALKING IN THE SNOW by WILLIAM STRODE SIR JOHN FRANKLIN; ON THE CENTOTAPH IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY by ALFRED TENNYSON |