Lone Prairie Poetry Page

HOPPY

Fred Engel

What ever happened to ol' Hoppy?
I thought to myself one day.
Yes, it's true, he was from Hollywood
But he did teach the cowboy way.
Now, Hopalong Cassidy, for those who don't know
Was an old time cowboy movie hero.
"Mind your mommies and daddies"
Was his message to all of the kids.
And if you wanted to be like Hoppy,
Well, then you did things the way Hoppy did.
There wasn't any confusion
About what was right or wrong,
And it wasn't a deep, thought provoking, uncommon statement
If someone said, "can't we just all get along"?
"Drink all of your milk
And eat what's put on your plate,
And mind your mommies and daddies boys and girls,
And don't stay up too late".
Now Hoppy's message was simple,
Straight forward, clear and true.
And he taught by example
The right way to act and the right thing to do.
He always caught the bad guys
And he taught us that crime doesn't pay.
And you know, it might be a good idea
If our kids could watch Hoppy
And have a hero like him today.
It's not that good-versus-bad or that right-versus-wrong
Are things that really ever change.
It's just that bad behavior and language and poor taste and manners,
Were just not accepted..... when Hoppy rode the range!

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OL' SLIM

Fred Engel

Now ol' Slim had been a cowpoke for a long, long time. He was wiry, he had bow legs And he was thin as a dime. His skin was leathery and tan From livin' his life in the sun. And his hands were callused and gnarly And he was missin' two fingers and a thumb. He had one eye that kind of lazy, And it drifted off a little to the side. And you could tell that he was missin' some teeth When he smiled or opened his mouth kind o' wide. He was only about five foot six, in his boots, When he tried to stand up straight, Although sometimes when he was wearing his hat He could pass for about five foot eight. And when he was in the saddle He felt like he was nine feet tall. But when down on the ground next to some other hands, Well, sometimes he felt a little small. And although he had his pride And he was pure cowboy through and. through, He said to me one day, "You know, I wish that I was big and tall like you. In fact, I'd like to have your body. No, it's not that I'd want to take your place. But I would like to have your body, Although I'd rather keep my own face!"
for a long, long time.
He was wiry, he had bow legs
And he was thin as a dime.
His skin was leathery and tan
From livin' his life in the sun.
And his hands were callused and gnarly
And he was missin' two fingers and a thumb.
He had one eye that kind of lazy,
And it drifted off a little to the side.
And you could tell that he was missin' some teeth
When he smiled or opened his mouth kind o' wide.
He was only about five foot six, in his boots,
When he tried to stand up straight,
Although sometimes when he was wearing his hat
He could pass for about five foot eight.
And when he was in the saddle
He felt like he was nine feet tall.
But when down on the ground next to some other hands,
Well, sometimes he felt a little small.
And although he had his pride
And he was pure cowboy through and. through,
He said to me one day,
"You know, I wish that I was big and tall like you.
In fact, I'd like to have your body.
No, it's not that I'd want to take your place.
But I would like to have your body,
Although I'd rather keep my own face!"

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Remember The Cow

Fred Engel

A friend of mine once offered a toast,
To the two things in life that he loved most.
"Women .and horses," he blurted out,
And so all could hear, he toasted with, a shout.
Now women and horses, yes they are a true love,
But I do want to thank the good lord above
For makin' a critter that we call a cow,
The subject of which, I'd like to speak now.
Now cattle have always been a favorite of mine,
And have offered a way of life so fine.
Meat on the table, and butter and cheese,
What would a loaf of bread be without these.
belts and shoes and boots for your feet,
and a saddle to ride with, a comfortable seat.
And how could you brag on how good you can ride
Without some cattle around to rope or drive?
It just wouldn't be the same or quite such, a thrill
To just rope goats by the head or the heel.
And how could cowboys and cowgirls do what they do
If there wasn't something around that knew how to moo?
And have you ever wondered what kind of a change
There might have been while out on the range
There was just chickens or pigs that we had to herd?
Now I know that sounds a little absurd
But what kind of difference do you think it'd make
If it had been chicken pluckers or sowboys
That helped make our country great?
Now women and horses is still a good toast.
But besides the two things we men love the most,
We ought to remember about the cow,
Because without her, well, there wouldn't be any cowboys,
Would there now?

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