Cowboy Country Magazine

PHOTO COURTESY ISTOCKPHOTO / KANGAH, SHANK_ALI, KAYANN / PHOTO ILLUSTRATION TANNER YOUNG PUBLISHING

A St. John’s cowboy dreams of rubber boots and Newfie Sod
Oh he can worry down a T-bone but he’d rather have salt cod.

A cowboy from Quebec laughs at scandal: it’s routine
He buys his boots from Boulet and his spuds come as poutine.

A cowboy from Toronto has an Upper Canada aura
And is astonished to find out that there’s life west of Kenora.

Manitoba buckaroos arm themselves like tough banditos
Not for bear or skunk or varmints but for shooting down mosquitoes.

You can tell a hand from Saskatoon, Wadena or Val Marie
A hill will have him baffled and he’ll vote for NDP.

Out on Alberta ranches the cowboy wears a grin
He’s only ranching for amusement till the oil well comes in.

And on Lotus Land rancheros (Vancouver and there abouts)
The steaks are made of tofu,  served up with a side of sprouts.

As different as each region is there’s one thing they all share
The Great Canadian Cowboy gives his all with none to spare.

So here’s to that breed of women and men with the maple leaf bandana
They work all week for wages bleak, then watch Hockey Night in Canada.

So get some rest when the sun sinks west; tomorrow a busy day’s planned.
There’s fence to fix and breakfast’s at 6 (6:30 in Newfoundland)

Across this land you’ll see his brand and there’s nowhere he’d rather be
Than raising Canadian cattle in the true north strong and free.

 
Great Canadian Cowboy excerpted from Doris Daley’s 2003 book Rhyme & Reason.