N. C. Wyeth "CowboyFIFTY A DAY
by D. W. GroetheFifty a day is a cowboy's pay
It ain't much, tho for some it's enough.
It's not always money
That rides a man hard
Or acquirin' piles a stuff.
There are those who would willingly
Trade it all in
For a chance to go ridin' the herd.
Bein' out in the lonesome
Not feelin' alone --
That's somethin' you can't put in words.
No -- This is one a them things
That money can't buy, tho
They wouldn't say no to a raise,
You can sure bet
They'll give more'n they get
An be happy til the end a their days.
'Cause bein' a cowboy
Is like sayin' "I'm broke."
A purty good chunk a the time.
But broke ain't a shame
It's a part a the game,
Just a fool thinks broke is a crime.
An' for sure it's not sweat
The hours they get
Will sometimes be tired an' long.
But when they hit the hay,
At the end a the day,
What they earned is the sweetest of songs.
Oh, there's always those times
When the best that you do
Simply will not be enough.
There are things in this world
That'll flat make you blue
But that's life an' sometimes it's rough.
Fifty a day a cowboy's pay
More than enough for a few
Who heed not the call
Of that ol' nine to five
An' they'll laugh around broke,
Tired an' blue.
D.W. Groethe © 2002
There's a Silence
There's a silence that's found
As a hoof hits the ground
When yer ridin' alone in the night
An' the dust of the day
Has settled away
An' yer glad that ol' moon has some light
Tho you ain't ridin' blind
Cause yer pony'll find
The trail that leads you back home
'Sides, yer mind is a driftin;
Like the blue shadows shiftin'
Thru the sage an' the cedar an stone.
The breeze heaves a sigh
Like an' ol' lullaby
An' it all sets yer spirit aright
In that silence that's found
As a hoof hits the ground
When yer ridin' alone in the night.
DW Groethe ©2003
Under the Dim and Nodding Sky
Under the dim and nodding sky
Mid the night hawks' fading skree,
Bend your ear to the rush in the willows,
That hush you hear is me.
Up through the cottonwoods murmuring leaves
Down round in a laughing swirl
Hovering close to the warm moist earth
My whispering fingers unfurl
And lightly gather each blade of grass
Till at last I come to thee
And brush your cheek with lover's lips
You can no longer see.
DW Groethe ©2003
About the author.......D. W. GROETHE
For good reason, "West River Waltz" by D W Groethe (pictured above) was named a winner of the 2007 Will Rogers Medallion Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Publishing of Cowboy Poetry by the Academy Of Western Artists. This is another beautiful hard cover book published by Cowboy Miner Publications. As regards the author, DW Groethe, the jacket to "West River Waltz" states this:
"DW Groethe, grandson of Norwegian pioneers and homesteaders, was raised on the Northern Great Plains by parents who instilled in him a deep appreciation for place and heritage. A University of North Dakota alumnus, he holds a fine arts degree in theater arts.
Since 1991, Groethe has called Bainville, Montana (population 139) home. He doesn't own a television, reads with a voracious appetite and happily spends his days associating with cows. The lanky, blue-eyed Groethe is a day hand. He works for cattle ranchers who need part time help. It's no nine-to-five job. There' no regular paycheck. The benefit plan relies heavily on the intangible.
He is poet and songwriter- and a rare one. Under his spell, words and phrases aren't so much written as they are crafted. The geography, the seductive solitude, the hardy souls who are his neighbors - and especially- the critters he works with provide inspiration. They kindle in his soul, coming forth in fanciful and substantive verse. He has appeared as an invited guest at Elko, Nevada's National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, The Library of Congress and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and the National Folk Festival. For a special treat click on this link and you can hear and see a part of his performance:
http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?artist_id=GROETHEDW#"West River Waltz" is a collection of poems and lyrics that are filled with an intense devotion to the West River way of life. He is a songwriter who has four recordings to his credit. The lyrics to many of the songs in the recordings, are included in his book. He is a top-drawer poet, who shifts from first rate verse like "Fifty A Day" to first rate poetry like "There's A Silence" and "Under The Dim And Nodding Sky" (all featured above). This book contains a collection of some of the finest contemporary cowboy poetry. Groethe knows what it is like to work the range and his poetry and songs show it. His songs and poetry tell about cowboy life- long, hard rides and midnight riding under the moonlight. But Groethe captivates more than the stereotypical romance associated with cowboy life....he tells it like it is. "Fifty A Day" is only a sample of his craft.
You can read more of the poetry of DW Groethe at http://www.cowboypoetry.com
To order "West River Waltz" phone or write:D.W. Groethe
PO Box 144
Bainville, MT 59212
406/769-2312
No material on this web site may be excerpted, copied, or reproduced, used or performed in any form (graphic, electronic or mechanical) without the express written permission of D. W. Groethe.
