National Day of the Cowboy

INTRODUCTION
July 25, 2009 marks the fifth annual National Day of the Cowboy. The National Day of the Cowboy organization devised this day to remind Americans of our cowboy heritage and how cowboys contributed to America’s western history and culture.

POEM

Hats off to the Cowboy
By Red Steagall

The city folks think that it’s over.
The cowboy has outlived his time–
An old worn-out relic, a thing of the past,
But the truth is, he’s still in his prime.

The cowboy’s the image of freedom,
The hard-ridin’ boss of the range.
His trade is a fair one, he fights for what’s right,
And his ethics aren’t subject to change.

He still tips his hats to the ladies,
Let’s you water first at the pond.
He believes a day’s pay is worth a day’s work,
And his handshake and words are his bond.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Janeczko, Paul B. 1997. HOME ON THE RANGE: COWBOY POEMS. Illustrated by Bernie Fuchs. NY: Dial Books. ISBN: 0803719116.

EXTENSION
Have fun celebrating the cowboy heritage by creating personally designed bandanas created by cutting used, clean bed sheets that are cut into triangles and providing Crayola color markers. Invite the children to share what they think about cowboys and what their life is like, and invite them share it in poem from.

Photo courtesy of http://images.search.yahoo.com/.