On the back porch

I’ve made a friend in England that is an old western movie fan. He also enjoys the classic cowboy songs. The subject turned to the “Silver Screen” cowboys and especially Gene Autry. Stella and I grew up in Dublin, Texas at a time when Gene Autry, Everett Colburn, and the Lightnin’ C Ranch produced the “World Championship Rodeo” from 1939 until 1959. It was billed as the last major rodeo before going on to the National Finals. At this time, Madison Square Garden in New York City was the location for this contest. And this made a little country stop, like Dublin, Texas, be a part of the “big time” when it was Rodeo Time! Bull rider, Harry Tompkins, Dublin’s favorite son, won the “All-around cowboy” title one year. We saw first rate rodeo hands, rank horses and bad bulls, and lots of western movie stars like Gene Autry and Champion, Roy Rogers and Trigger, Dale Evans, Buttermilk, and Bullet, and many more. Life was good! Ahh… those good ol’ days when times were a bit slower and life just gets plumb special. You must dream big to achieve greatness! The first of my poems to be accepted at cowboypoetry.com was a poem that I wrote about the Dublin Rodeo and I called it, “Headin’ to the Dublin Rodeo.” I would like to share it with you. then I lathered up in suds,but found that the hot water had quit! Now a cold water bath will shore cool off yore wrath,an’ it don’t take you long to git clean. But as you ponder yore plight, you git awful quiet, an’ your thoughts tend to wander unseen. I planned to take this ride, with my wife by my side, headin’ to a far off rodeo. Now she knows that her man always has a good plan, an’ with me she intended to go. So we loaded the ol’ truck an’ trusted to luck,as we pulled out on that gravel road. We had packed sorta light, got things stuck out of sight. Best try to follow the cowboy code! Shucks, yore lookin’ fer fun, an’ the trips just begun, with nary a worry to dread. Jest ridin’ along it seems, daydreamin’ our dreams,of how fame an’ fortune would be spread. By winnin’ first place, I’d shore set such a pace, other hands would be a-shoutin’ “calf rope!”‘Fore the end could draw nigh, contestants would shore sigh, “There ain’t a chance!” an’ give up their hope. So we headed on out with nary a doub that this trip would certainly be great! Adventures we would share without even one care, jest send others a-haulin’ their freight! Now that seems a bit brash, tho I had made a splash, as a rookie I had lots to learn. So I jumps in with both feet, the champ to unseat. ‘Cuz this year the prize cup I will earn! I settled to my task, no mercy will I ask, workin’ hard to develop my skill. Many long hours it will take to win the sweepstake, but I know how to handle the drill. So for hours I would work, not one job will I shirk. An’ I toiled to bring it to perfection this new self-taught gift, that would for shore cause a rift, seen pert near in every direction. They just wouldn’t believe, tho some would shore ‘nuff grievewhen they heard that ol’ score read out loud. When I prance in front of them, things will shore \ look grim. But my wife will cheer and be proud. Then the sky brighted up, as they brought out that cup, polished to shine like a golden globe. It was three foot tall, made the arena look small, bright lights were flickerin’ like a strobe! I know it will be soon, they are singin’ my tune! Yet, …I feel as if somethin’ ain’t square. Then my wife calls to me an’… I wake up to see…??? I’m holdin’ my brass spittoon in the air!!