BULL RIDER
by Rod Nichols
 
A Texas hat with attitude
the brim tipped down a bit
as black as sin with subtle bend
"Bull Rider" in its fit.

A chiseled face deep resolute
with eyes as hard as stone
said, "If you're wise, you'd be advised
to leave this man alone."

A brahma bull of ill repute
was placed into the stall
as ugly-mean as ever seen
pure hate for one and all.

A mottled gray in attributes
of thirteen-hundred pounds
would climb a stand to gore a man
or stomp him in the ground.

The riders drew for random bulls
and when the draw was done
that Texas hat just chewed and spat
he'd drawn that orn'ry son.

Each rider settled in his chute
before he shouted, "Now!"
then left the gate to tempt his fate
and hang on board somehow.

A Utah man now held the lead
his ride was rated best
the Texas hat aware of that
now moved to meet the test.

He settled on to get a grip
the bull rose up instead
he eased on back adjusted slack
then gave the go-ahead.

That nettled bull flew out the gate
a cyclone with each spin
a snortin' fire with one desire
to do that hombre in.

 

 

The riders who had had their turn
now clamored up the fence
they'd never seen a bull that mean
and they ain't seen one since.

That critter was a ragin' storm
he never had been rid'
he'd find a way to make hat pay
the last damn thing he did.

The buzzer rang to end the ride
but them was human rules
no pickup men or clowns' pretend
could stop that angry bull.

A single launch in altitude
had cleared an eight-foot space
the Texas hat allowed for that
and held on to his place.

That orn'ry bull then crashed a fence
while cowboys jumped and fled
but it was then he met his end
that bull just dropped down dead.

The rigors of that final lunge
brought death so quick and crude,
yet on him still by force of will
that hat with attitude.

The crowd went silent for a bit
then roared in gratitude
for the bull that died and winnin' ride
that hat with attitude.

A Texas hat with attitude
the brim tipped down a bit
as black as sin with subtle bend
"Bull Rider" in its fit.

Rod Nichols
©2001

 
 

About the author.....ROD NICHOLS


About The Author and Honored Guest Poet - ROD NICHOLS says:


    "Howdy.My story began in Nacogdoches,Texas, in the area called "The Big Thicket." It's hard not to have the cowboy way of life influence you if you grew up in Texas. After all, Texas is where cowboys got their start more than a hundred years ago. 

        I am a public speaker and have performed at Cowboy Gatherings and other special events. I have been published in several books and magazines over the years. Some of these include: Books The Lazy B by Hon. Sandra Day O'Connor, American Food Festivals by Becky Mecuri, The Big Roundup by Cowboypoetry.com and A Little Bit Of Texas my own cowboy poetry book. Magazines and newspapers include: The Wyoming Companion University of Wyoming, Rope Burns Academy Of Western Artists, The American Quarter Horse Journal and a Cowboy History And Performing Society (C.H.A.P.S.) cowboy poetry anthology CD.
 

  Awards include : 1st Lariat Laureate of Cowboypoetry.com,  A Robert W. Service Award, an H.G. Wells writing award and I was honored to have been a contributing author to the Big Roundup which won the Best Cowboy Poetry Book for the year 2001. I  was the recent winner of  the contest conducted by Casey's Corral of Cowboy Poetry  with my poem, "What Is It That Makes A Cowboy Unique?"   I am proud that my book A Little Bit Of Texas received a Will Rogers Medallion for 2003 from the Academy Of Western Artists.

The main thing, in reading cowboy poetry, is that you enjoy the presentations, as you revisit the most uniquely American character in our history, The American Cowboy.
 
 



 Rod Nichols is a featured poet and special guest of honor on  the following
web pages:

http://wacobelle.org/rodnicholscowboypoetry.htm
http://www.charlierussell.org/nicholsrussell.htm
 
And on this web site you will find 3 pages of Rod's poetry:
    http://www.cowboypoetry.com/rn.htm#Rod
 

     What Rod Nichols failed to say in his comments is that he's also the creator of one very beautiful web site. And on that web site is a page with one particularly memorable and enjoyable poem....ROOSTER!  This is the poem that won for Nichols the 1st Lariat Laureate of Cowboypoetry.com.   You can read ROOSTER and many of Rod's other fine poems on his web site;           http://www.geocities.com/rodnichols.geo/cowboy.html  

      You can order  Rod's book and is CDs on his web site or by mail at:

Rod Nichols
PO Box 215
6140 Hwy 6
Missouri City, Texas 77459 

email


                                      
        Under copyright protection. The poem on this web page may not be excerpted, copied, or reproduced, used or performed in any form without the express written permission of  Rod Nichols.

HOME                         NEXT