The air was crisp and he could see his breath
so deep in his thoughts he was lost in the depth.
He pulled the cinch just a little bit tighter
had to go slow with this little Bay, he could be a fighter.
The Bay was still sporting his thick winter coat
and a small grunt of protest whispered out of his throat.
He watched every move just waiting for his chance
To try that old man and see if he could still dance.
Most of the mans 70 years he had stayed true to his course,
his living room had been the saddle and his life the back of a horse.
Most men his age are getting sick and are easy to rattle
but this old cowboy swung up effortlessly into the seat of the saddle.
The Bay seized his moment and let out a squeal and a buck
determined to try that old man and test his luck.
But this wasn’t a rodeo and if it were it wouldn’t have been his first,
the old cowboy wasn’t rattled and he didn’t even curse.
He tugged on the left rein and pulled the Bay around
as he began to circle him into the cold hard ground.
Unable to buck, the Bay realized he had met his match
and the quick jab of a spur suddenly made his breath hard to catch.
It wasn’t long and everyone settled down
the cowboy pulled his hat tight like he always did pushing from the crown.
Then he fixed his eye on the horizon some miles away
searching for wandering cattle this would be his kingdom today.
‘How many more days like this will I have’ he wondered to himself and the Bay out loud
‘I’m only a cowboy’ he thought, but I’m both humbled and proud.
The Bay didn’t answer but that wasn’t a surprise
in fact the cowboy kind of liked that there were never any replies.
He nudged the Bay and they began to walk out
as the cowboy thought about the day they would have and their route.
With the sun shining bright, had you been there you would have seen on his face
the peaceful look of a man who knew he was made for that moment time and place.
History books are full of famous events and men,
stories of great deeds whose tales are told over and over again.
But the old cowboy didn’t care about any of those people or things
his life was his and it was the life of the kings.
