Lyr Add: Jake the Rancher (cowboy poem)

Subject: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 02:24 PM

My daughter sent this to me this week. No author credited. Anyone recognise it? It's a good one, IMO:

There's something about "Cowboy Poetry"...


       Jake, the rancher, went one day
       to fix a distant fence.
       The wind was cold and gusty
       and the clouds rolled gray and dense.


       As he pounded the last staples in
       and gathered tools to go,
       The temperature had fallen,
       the wind and snow began to blow.

       When he finally reached his pickup,
       he felt a heavy heart.
       From the sound of that ignition,
       he knew it wouldn't start.

       So Jake did what most of us would do
       if we had been there.
       He humbly bowed his balding head
       and sent aloft a prayer.

       As he turned the key for the last time,
       he softly cursed his luck.
       They found him three days later,
       frozen stiff in that old truck.

       Now Jake had been around in life
       and done his share of roaming.
       But when he saw Heaven, he was shocked--
       -- it looked just like Wyoming!

       Of all the saints in Heaven,
       his favorite was St. Peter.
       (Now, this line ain't needed
       but it helps with rhyme and meter)

       So they set and talked a minute or two,
       or maybe it was three.
       Nobody was keepin' score --
       -- in Heaven time is free.

       "I've always heard," Jake said to Pete,
       "that God will answer prayer,
       But one time I asked for help,
       well, he just plain wasn't there."

       Does God answer prayers of some,
       and ignore the prayers of others?
       That don't seem exactly square --
       -- I know all men are brothers."

       "Or does he randomly reply,
       without good rhyme or reason?
       Maybe, it's the time of day,
       the weather or the season."

       "Now I ain't trying to act smart,
       it's just the way I feel.
       And I was wondering', could you tell me --
       -- what the heck's the deal?!"

       Peter listened very patiently
       and when Jake was done,
       There were smiles of recognition,
       and he said, "So, you're the one!!"

       "That day your truck, it wouldn't start,
       and you sent your prayer a flying,
       You gave us all a real bad time,
       with hundreds of us trying."

       "A thousand angels rushed,
       to check the status of your file,
       But you know, Jake, we hadn't heard from you
       in quite a long while."

       "And though all prayers are answered,
       and God ain't got no quota,
       He didn't recognize your voice,
       and started a truck in North Dakota."

       BETTER KEEP IN TOUCH




________________________________________________________________

Subject: RE: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: Kim C
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 03:25 PM

Heehee! :-)

Subject: RE: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 03:26 PM

A frequent request to Michael Martin Murphey, the New Mexico bard. I believe he has recorded it.
It appears on dozens of websites, but it seems to be truly anonymous.

Subject: RE: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: Harold W
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 05:37 PM

It sounds like Baxter Black.

Subject: RE: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: annamill
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 05:54 PM

Excellent Kat!! I love it.

Love, Annamill

Subject: RE: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 06:21 PM

Thanks, annamill!

Sorry, Harold, in my opinion, in Black's dreams! **bg** I cannot stand that fake, plus I have a hard time believing he'd let anything get out without his name and copyright on it.

kat

Subject: RE: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: Leadfingers
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 07:43 PM

If I can sort out a chord run and a tune this is going to be a song.
OH I do wish I could write words.

Subject: RE: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: Gareth
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 07:46 PM

Neat !!!

Gareth

Subject: RE: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 07:47 PM

There ya go, leadfingers! Would love to hear it when you do!

Thanks, Gareth!

Subject: RE: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: GUEST,Florida
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 08:50 PM

I really liked the poem. Good moral, too.
Would be very interested in what you "come up with" Leadfingers.

I have a "tune" running through my head now, so I will go pick up my Autoharp and listen.

I do write words.

Subject: RE: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 11:59 PM

Trying to run down a possible author for this poem, and found this. No verification, but I will pass it on. The man is unknown to me.
"Cowboy Poetry By John Egan"
The poem follows, but the last verse has a different State:
"And though all prayers are answered,
And God ain't got no quota,
He didn't recognize your voice,
And He started a truck in Minnesota."
http://pages.prodigy.net/dreamer188/Poems/netpoems/cowboypoetry.htm: Cowboy Poetry

The poem is shown with a midi playing in the background at: The Cowboys Prayer

The poem has been given a number of different titles:
Jake and the Ranchers Prayer
Jake, The Rancher
The Cowboy's Prayer (used fo other songs)
Keep Prayed Up
The Cattleman's Prayer (I seem to remember another song with this title)
Better Keep In Touch

One website says it is by a "backwoods minister now retired in Oregon."

Subject: RE: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 21 Feb 03 - 12:02 AM

Perhaps someone can take my efforts (above) from there. I doubt that the poem has any real age to it. Newspapers have printed it, the oldest noted in Google is 2000.

Subject: RE: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Feb 03 - 12:07 AM

Thanks, Q, that's great.

Subject: RE: Good Cowboy Poem - Fun read!
From: Neighmond
Date: 21 Feb 03 - 12:26 AM

Derry Brownfield read it on thhe radio sometime in 2001-ask him- he is an ols Misourtri Cattle rancher-

www.derrybrownfield.com

FWIW
Chaz

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Jake the Rancher (cowboy poem)
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Dec 16 - 10:59 PM

Author: Bill Jones

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Jake the Rancher (cowboy poem)
From: GUEST,cnd
Date: 21 Dec 16 - 11:37 PM

From what I've found, the official title is "THE ANSWERED PRAYER" and is best attributed to Mr. Jones in 1991, from his book THERE AIN'T MUCH ROMANCE IN LIFE FOR US COWS

SOURCE: A Journey Through Faith by Jack Sneider