CADMIUM COWBOY

Cadmium cowboy counts sunsets and rises,

horses and horseflies and ranch enterprises.

Bruises and bristles, sheep and sheepdog militias,

hot dusty high riding whistling wishes.

Looks up at the stars and starts planning next year,

with all that he's built and all he holds dear.

Sweat in his eyes and a dirtier saddle

another day down, farm and family life straddled.

The bones are all buried, the river runs deep;

the secrets on his land are kept by the sheep.