Eagle Dancer

Robert Atkin

A silhouette cast in the morning sun
Dancing against a fire lit sky
The rolling thunder of unseen drums
Listen; you'll hear the eagle cry

With twists and turns and flowing limbs
It cuts the air with rhythmic grace
The crescendo cry of unknown song
Takes a mind back to another place

A place where horizons have no end
And skies reach to infinity
Where waters flow clear and deep
No fences and all live free

Wild Horses

Robert C. Atkin

Wild horses, wild horses
Are a mystery it seems
Wild horses, wild horses
Are they real or just dreams?
Come sit for a moment
I'll tell you a tale
'Bout wild horses; old cowboys
Out on the trail

Abra-Cadabra

(cowboy Merlin)
Robert Atkin

He had an inclination for prestidigitation
And he was slicker than " snot on a rail"
He'd make a quarter disappear; then pluck it out yer ear
And turn water to milk in a pail
There was magic bags and colorful flags
A disappearing dove and a cat
He sawed " old Mabel"; in half; on a table
And of course pulled a rabbit right outta his hat

The Saga Of Montana Lil

Robert C. Atkin

There was a tough old gal from Kalispell
Went by the handle of "Montana Lil "
Braided black hair; an icy blue stare
A look they said "could kill"
But once in awhile she'd make folks smile
'Twas said she could sing like a bird
With a voice soft and rich in perfect pitch
The sweetest sound you've ever heard

The Hazing Of Billy McCall

Robert C. Atkin

On Hallow's Eve the BAR M boys
Got the campfire a blazin'
This was the night they had chosen
For Billy McCall's final hazin'

'Twas kind of a ranchhand's ritual
An initiation to the west
To weigh a greenhorn's fortitude
Could he pass the cowboy test

An elaborate scheme was mustered
'Twould give the bravest soul a battle
Send a lone cowboy to Devil's Deep
In search of long lost cattle

The Long Trail Home

Robert C. Atkin

The whispering white crept through the night
The cold gnawed right to the bone
The eerie hue of cobalt blue
Gave shadows a life all their own

The rider 'n' horse stayed their course
Ice drooped from bridal and brim
While waves of snow continued to grow
Making trails become heavy and dim

Vapors were streamin' 'n' lungs were a screamin'
Icy spears penetrated inside
Limbs paid the cost as fingers of frost
Gave the warmth no place to hide

Impressions

Robert C. Atkin

Moonbeams creep through crevices
Casting about a soft blue glow
Webs form their intricate patterns
Shadows scamper to and fro
Musty scent of decaying wood
All covered in a layer of dust
The once majestic pot-bellied stove
Now surrenders it's lustre to rust

Mind Grazing

Robert C. Atkin

The last star faded in the heavens
As I rode in from the graveyard shift
Mist floated above the marshes
The horizon was startin' to lift

The cattle slowly ambled
Down for their mornin' drink
I gave my pony his head
Sat back and started to think

I thought about how lucky I was
To live in a land where I am free
To travel about unfettered
The master of my own destiny

Requiem For An Outlaw

Robert C. Atkin

I'm headin' back today from a place far away
And I wonder what I will find
My heart is still 'cuz' just over the hill
Is a life I left behind
Will grandpa be there in that old rockin' chair ?
Dreamin' his dreams of the range
I look over yonder; I ride and I ponder
Why life; so dear; has to change

King Of The Hill

Robert C. Atkin

My daddy's name is “Pistol Pete”
And I'm his only son
The spittin' image of my old man
And a bull ridin' son-of -a-gun
Last year we went down to Las Vegas town
It was “Bull-A-Rama” you see
A bunch of us boys makin' some noise
The favorites were my pa and me