Only the wind
is forever
Only a mountain
at dawn
Only the West
is my lover
Only to her
I belong
Every time
I leave her
The trail back
stays open unclaimed
A voice in the canyon
still calling
O’er the river that christened
— my name
(13th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering: January, 1997)
Elko Nevada- 2 Guitars A Mandolin & Fiddle
-
Author:
Kurt Philip Behm (
Offline) - Published: June 8th, 2026 10:21
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 6
- Users favorite of this poem: Tristan Robert Lange
Offline)
Comments3
Kurt, what struck me most is the line, "Only the West is my lover." It immediately transforms the landscape from scenery into relationship. That personification gives the poem much of its emotional power. Wonderful write, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
Thanks, I wish I had taped the performance. It was before smart phones.
We'll have to guess who that cowboy was if it was the grand canyon his name would be a colorful one. Good read Kurt
Ian Tyson was the most famous and talented Western singer who ever lived. He started life as a bronc rider and then got hurt. He and his wife, Sylvia Fricker, were legends in the 1970s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWNA8gD0jUY
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