The Country Pulse
by Patricia L. Atchison.
There is a pulse to the country
That time only knows.
The heartbeat of rancher, farmer and toiler,
The heartbeat of livestock,
The heartbeat of the earth growing, changing, evolving
Each touching the other.
Man with animal,
Animal to earth and sky
Each sharing a bond of love and respect
That only those who travel the vast prairies, valleys and foothills
Can comprehend.
The love of compatibility,
The love of muscle bearing, chest wrenching hard work,
The love of something so great
It is beyond themselves yet palpable to the heart.
Yes, there is a pulse to the country
For those who live, toil, ranch and farm upon the land
For the livestock which eat and thrive.
If you listen real close
You will hear that heartbeat… of love
Pulsing through the vast prairies, valleys and foothills
Of rancher, farmer and toiler, of livestock
And of the earth sharing her bounty with all who reside, growing changing, evolving
Supporting life… pulsing for those who understand the beat.
Author’s note: I wrote this poem after hearing a Mother describe her total love, affection and understanding of her teen who has a bond with horses, roping and ranching that most town/city folk might not understand. Ranching is a way of life, and until you’ve lived in the country or been close to those who work horses and livestock upon the land, birthing, branding and raising livestock, moving them from pasture to grazing lands, haying, feeding, etc., it is hard to know what life is like for these hard working souls. I lived in the country for over 13 years and I definitely felt a pulse of life as it moved through the different seasons, each one offering up a different set of duties and challenges. This poem is dedicated to all who work the land and with livestock.
