Life on the Ranch
Modern day cowboys still walk the lines
Fences don’t stand alone you know
Barns and stalls always seem to need mucking
And there is always something to do
Living on the ranch
Cover crops must be put in now
The soil can’t fall fallow
And there’s a mighty storm rolling in through the valley
The crows scream “Stay away! Stay away!” taunting the scarecrow
Life is living here on the ranch
Border collies are rounding up the cattle
And dreaming of wild rabbits needing to be caught
The chickens are gossiping in their homes
Did you hear the news?
We got it good on the ranch
Pickin’ time, and there are walnuts and apricots
Dripping from the trees, they intoxicate with their heady scent
They sure won’t pick themselves, the hands say
And drag out the ladders to reach the towers of fruit
Harvesting on the ranch
The goats are bumping heads, udders swinging low
Time to make cheese and milk for sale
The farmer drops his weary head and thinks of tomorrow
Can we pay the mortgage, make the loans?
Life is challenging on the ranch
Sons grow up and move on to the towns
“Farming isn’t paying Pop” they throw over their shoulders
But they forget where the milk came from,
And what puts the bacon on the bread
What will happen to the ranch?
Long after the sun has gone, the bloody sunset washes away
All the chores for that day are done
The farmer creeps up onto the porch for dinner
And looking back at the cloudy night sky thinks
“My life is still living on the ranch”
Copyright J.George 9/2008
