A Cowboy can't cry

Loss

The cattle are hidden in
a thicket, along a flint hill’s gully,
and the rain rolls across the Kansas night,
thunder pumping, rolling
deep, throaty, hollow bellows.

Gods breathe and clouds slap.
Rocks and roots charge through
the narrows ripping at the
thickets.

Thunder’s rolling rhythm broken by
the calves panicked screams,
flashing, the flood quenches the
Kansas night.


Undercut or buried, the cattle are gone.
The distance carries their breath away.
The moon’s midnight watch echoes the
bawling calves.

And a cowboy can’t cry.
cold are the tears in morning coffee.

L.V.C.

Author's Note

Save it for the early hours after a rain

Reviews

[David Scott]

I can see the tears evaporating, uncried from the skyblue eyes. I can hear the cry that will never escape his throat in the questioning panic of the cattle.
I can feel the electric static of emotion held in the thin threads of a plaid flannel shirt. His solitude the only salvation from sparking into an inferno.

[Tate Morgan]

An excellent work. I must say Emma must think you are good as well in 4 years this is the first I remember her asking me to read anothers work '

[Persephone]

Something about this poem...I enjoyed reading it very much - it is a beautiful picture you've painted here - Great work :)

[Mary]

Excellent write- such imagery! God's breathe and clouds slap, calves panicked screams, distance carries their breath away, cold are the tears.

[FJ Davis]

Appears you've got some major rounding-up to do.
Like the hard edge portrayed here; refreshing when compared to the namby-pamby sterility of virtual reality. Even appreciate the-play-for-keeps nature of Nature; everything ain't a nobody-ever-gets-hurt game.
Well, I've pontificated enough about harsh reality--as I man my extremely plush, rather expensive office chair.
Do realize your poem has many metaphorical applications. But I'm too dumb to talk about them.
I just plain like this poem, lee; sometimes it's just as simple as that.
Welcome to The Cafe!

[Emily B]

strong is the man who can let loose a cloud of tears

[emmajoy]

Wonderful words, powerful.. ' thunder pumping, rolling ~ deep, throaty, hollow bellows.' What a near furious drama this is! Tis a journey into a life completely unknown to me; you've drawn amazingly clear sketches with each and every line.

Yet another great phrase, ' And a cowboy can’t cry. ~ cold are the tears in morning coffee.' A few beautifully placed words that say it all.

[Chris]

when its raining who the hell is there to know?

strong words...

[Cherrie Palmer]

Nice blending of nature’s grandeur and the endless tack of a cowhand.

[An owl on the moon]

Your words move like the rain, creating a lonely scene... the emotions stirred by the haunting cries... Powerful introspections...