Me, You, Ol' Buck and Blue

Lord, this time you sent a good one, and I'm wonderin' what to do,

But ol' Buck and I decided, we should go-and take ol' Blue.

Ol' Buck looked up and nickered, and Blue he licked my hand,

As the tree of us rode from the barn, the snow it cut like sand.

The wind lashed out like fire, while whiteness filled the space,

The swirlin' snow stuck to my chaps, and ice blew against my face.

The blizzard in her fury, seemed relentless to let go,

And I pondered fer a moment, 'bout her dealin' us death's blow.

But I had cattle in the open, with babies at their side,

And no matter how I feared her, I knew that  I would ride.

Cuz tho' this cowboy hide is tough, this heart is soft as down,

And my feelin's are some different, than them folks who live in town.

I s' pose they'd think my senseless, to buck a storm as such,

But you realize, sweet maker, that it ain't askin' all that much.

For them cattle they're like family, and Mother Nature's one we fight,

And to leave 'em out there driftin' , it just wouldn't be quite right.

So we'll push 'em into shelter, and pray Lord they're okay,

'Till I can get the team hitched, and fill their bellies full of hay.

Oh, it's a frozen, frigid hell, out here we're travelin' through-

But ol' Buck he knows where home is, and ridin' drag is faithful Blue.

By Jo Casteel

Western Horseman February 1989