This time of the year while driving in the west you will see cattle being shipped from one location to the next. Some are moving to the highlands for Summer pasture, others are headed for the market. At night these cattle transports are lit up like Christmas lights on a house. Some call these big transports, cow palaces. One night headed south on I-15 we passed a cow palace with a few old cull's riding low. This poem came from that experience.

Cow Palace

Moving cow pairs to summer grass,

Rolling high on a cedar pass

Some old culls in a cow palace

Headed down ninety-one

First crop of hay in bales

Moving cows up highland trails

Poor old thing she had to go

Rolling down ninety-one

Cow palace down the highway

Rolling before the light of day

Shipping cattle in the morning light

Like Christmas time in May.

Sleep easy tonight my friend

All things someday must end

Headed for your land of plenty

In a palace lit with stars

Cowboys saddle still hanging dry

Long before the morning sky

Eighteen wheels down the two lane

We’re moving cows today

Cow palace down the highway

Rolling before the light of day

Shipping cattle in the morning light

Like Christmas time in May.

CW 6/06

A new foul was born on the ranch 5/23/06

Little Foul Pick Up Your Feet

Little black shadow

By your momma’s side

Little foul pick up your feet,

You’re the young mare’s pride.

The earth keeps spinning

Horses on the run

Little foul pick up your feet

Now your life’s begun.

I can hear the drumming beat

Of the ancient ones

Prancing through our meadow

Then they break and run

Scatter to the four corners

Of this mountain land

Little foul pick up your feet

On your four legs stand

Four legs with stocking feet

You’ll learn to run

Little foul pick up your feet

Now your life’s begun

Run like the wind

With the ancient beat

Little foul this is your day

Now pick up your feet.

-CMW 5/06

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