Cowboy Haiku

[Marthor]

Riding on the range
Get along little doggies
Crack the whip rawhide

[Marthor]

Here lies Lester Moore
Four slugs from a forty-four
No Less and no more

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Marthor,

I really, really like your Haiku,

And I am guessing you are not getting much of a reply because many of us:

1.) Are not overly familiar with Haiku

2. They might feel that they would have to reply in, which is worse than asking for a reply in Iambic Pentameter ...

[Marthor]

Marthor,
I really, really like your Haiku,
And I am guessing you are not getting much of a reply because many of us:
1.) Are not overly familiar with Haiku
2. They might feel that they would have to reply in HAiku, whic is worse thatn aking for a reply in Iambic Pentameter ...

No worries. The Samurai period in Japan is like our old west time period for us.
The Haiku is simple. Three lines, count the syllables in each line. Always 5-7-5

The Lester Moore Haiku is from a well known grave marker in Tombstone.

[Jamie]

Cock the hammer back,
Aim for the center of mass,
Squeeze the trigger - bang!

Ahh my grasshopper,
Good to see this link renewed.
Keep the works coming.

Jamie

[Hambone Dave]

I have been lurking for more than a year. Not in CAS or SASS or NCOWS but maybe someday....anyway this Haiku stuff got my interest grasshopper so for the past few months I tried my hand at some western related ones. Hope you enjoy.

thirst and sun pound hard
hot water drips from the pump
sweat stings the new wound

grassland speaks softly
wind whistles thru the tall pines
death comes in the heat

brushing off the dust
the rattle of cattle horns
singing to the cows

a wall of cat claw
chaps scratched by the branches
the rain brings the frogs

distant bell ringing
full moon over far away hills
smell of a camp fire

dark and quiet night
sound of the wind in the grass
the smell of burnt hide

old rabbit gave up
four clicks of the Colt's hammer
the rocks do not care

too hot for horse flies
follow the bees to water
the smell of dryness

the creak of leather
cattle following along
light headed from heat

relentless hot wind
black buzzards circle overhead
salt encrusted hat

storm clouds over the hill
cactus watch the lightening
calf cannot keep up

the dancing heat waves
branding iron makes the mark
the smell of burnt hide

lizard stands in shade
deer grazing in the meadow
damn squeaky wheel

the roar of the gun
black buzzards circle overhead
ten miles to walk out

a sky full of stars
a dry camp again tonight
time for the whiskey

hawk soars up high
the desert enjoys killing
pigs eating a snake

horse meat in axle grease
smoke rising through the branches
yips in the moonlight

have a good witness
it is so easy to hang
rocks crackle from heat

coiled snake suns self
cattle balling for water
loose shale ahead

smell of a wet dog
the cards may not go your way
the starlight shadows

fish jumps in the air
sunlight shines off pond ripples
get the old boots off

smell of a camp fire
smoke rising through the branches
a sky full of stars

the smell of dryness
dust cloud off the buffalo
the kick of the Sharps

posse pushing hard
all I did was kiss the girl
windmill spins and squeaks

slit eyelids stay open
staked out on an ant hill
birds sing in the tree

the last thirteen steps
gallows rope sways in the breeze
too hot for horse flys

hawk soars up high
javelinas run the wash
brushing off the dust

Well that's it for now.
Later.

[PJ Hardtack]

DHass

I'm in awe! I may try my hand. If I recall, haiku needs a few elements - one of them seasonal/weather related, linked to some associated activity. Your verses make them all.

A few feeble efforts:

Rasp of raven's wings
sharptail tracks in the snow
the everlasting cold

eyes water from the cold
cannot feel my feet
fresh tracks urge me on

long moonlit shadows
April blossoms scent the air
footsteps on the path

Not hard to tell that I live where the temp drops to -40*. That's where Fahrenheit and Celsius meet.

[Hambone Dave]

Mr. Hardtack, Thanks for the compliment.....you are not doing too bad yourself....fairly easy huh.
I really like your second one the best. It makes me see someone tracking another for revenge or a rescue mission, a hunter after game.

I just write down 5 and 7 syllable phrases then basically take 1 for column A and 1 from column B.....

Everything you mentioned about Haiku is true. I don't do much seasonality but more about a feeling or imagery.

It is fun and the western themes makes it easier to come up with phrases.

[PJ Hardtack]

This one was inspired by what I see and hear as I have breakfast:

distant honking of geese
the signs of spring appearing
open water on the ice

This one is for Boston:

smoke, dust, screams and chaos
people dazed, confused, crying
a bird sings nearby

[Hambone Dave]

PJ, you are a haiku natural

Here are some more I thought up:

last breath of the horse
lying in a buff wallow
should have wrote the folks

beans, beef and biscuits
a cold wind precedes the storm
wish I was in town

tired of riding
cattle balling for water
cold dry camp tonight

smell of a wet dog
sparks drifting up from the fire
horse meat in the grease

the creak of leather
rutting bucks doing battle
coyote kills quail

loose shale ahead
snow drifts over the dead cow
wrap the slicker tight

coyote kills quail
the desert is full of sound
yips in the moonlight

grassland speaks softly
the calf follows its mother
a bright one today

cold dry camp tonight
saddle pard is always there
singing to the cows

should have wrote the folks
it is so easy to hang
bill of sale was good

Forty more miles
cattle following along
the smell of dryness

singing to the cows
a cold wind preceeds the storm
wrap the slicker tight

its drifting fast now
snow blows in no matter what
wish I was in town

I wish I could shave
mountain making moanin sounds
smelly old soogans

swung open the doors
piano is missing some notes
the wall of hot air

circling the herd
hear some critter gnawing bone
lost one steer today

hawk soars up high
javelinas run the wash
brushing off the dust

card table felt worn out
the town has seen better days
a smelly saloon

layin back thinkin
your right she was real pretty
just watching the stars

gonna buy some clothes
look same dog there as last drive
tired of riding

ice on the edges
mist gathering in the notch
forty more miles

[PJ Hardtack]

dawn's golden sunlight
the silvery moon by night
where did the day go?

the high, lonely places
are calling out to me
does it really matter now?

a man speaks in the woods
no woman is there to hear
is he still wrong?

[Ol Gabe]

The sun sets at dark
Coffee brews slow and easy
Sleep comes on later.

Dreams of herds at dawn
My dear Old Paint saddled well
Years and years it seems.

Driving the Chisholm
Water hard to find in time
A pond seems like gold.

Singing to the herd
Makes me feel silly
Stampedes in lightning don't count.

My old pard back east
told me of chickens and geese
He said they'd herd well.

Sad to say he's right
But here on the High Lonesome
It don't really count.

Pards may come and go
Market cows run the prairie
Somebody makes cash.

So here's to the bar
Rot gut Whiskey for Cowboys
Drink and puke and sleep.

Nobody tells a tale
Like someone who has lived it
Been there, done that.

'Ol Gabe
     

[Hambone Dave]

Gabe....excellent ones.
You writing is alot in the same vein as mine...very image related and melancholy.
I am going to steal some of yours if I may.

Haiku is kind of fun isn't it. 

[The Trinity Kid]

I told my mother I wrote a haiku and popped out with this:

Bang bang bang bang bang
boom boom boom boom boom boom boom
pow pow pow pow pop! 

But she didn't like it, so I came up with this..

Somewhere rings a bell
Hark! it's a train way out there
but the cow doesn't see.

Squash! Meat on the front
Engineer is angery
the buzzards are great.

The flies enjoy it,
clean up the rail fast as light
all's well that ends well.

From the look she gave me, she didn't like that either....


--TK

[PJ Hardtack]

Some folks just don't 'preciate art ... ;>)

I used to love the limericks the Brit soldiers I knew in Germany could come up with .... especially after few pints of Red Diamond ale.

"There was young bloke from Dundas
whose balls were made of cut glass.
When they tinkled together,
they played 'stormy weather'
and lightning shot out of his (_+_)"

And:

"I knew a young lass with a great little (_*_).
Not round and pink as you probably think,
but grey, had long ears and ate grass!"

Betcha I get my pee-pee slapped for this .....

[The Trinity Kid]

Don't tell my mom I said this, but:   I LOVE IT!

[PJ Hardtack]

I had a Brit lady friend once, well educated, with perfect diction and pronunciation. She could rhyme off a string of limericks that would curl your hair!

I asked her how she came to know them. She had been married to a football player, and it was a thing for them following a game over a few pints at the local.

I wish I could remember more of them .....

[Sebastyen Storm]

Fiery pain, now,
I drop my cup to the floor,
this dang coffee's hot.

[Ol Gabe]

Squatting low in rain
Canvas overhead stretched tight
Another wet night.

Hot coffee cools down
Warming up my tired cold hands
Sleep comes with more rain.

Dawn at last draws nigh
Soon the sun will dry us out
Saddled mares will snort.

At last the beans boil
Cookie serves a mean breakfast
My ribs are still stuck.

Cattle loo and graze
The remuda circles round
Off we go again.

North toward fresh green grass
Soon we'll be eating fresh meat
Smiles all around then.

Dry socks and clean hair
A new shirt after a bath
Town and payday loom.

Shall we hit the trail
Or shall we rest and relax
Its always the same.

Mount up boys, its time
Cattle somewhere need herding
Better us than them.       

[PJ Hardtack]

Well done, Gabe! I felt saddle sore and dusty just reading it .....