I'm as free as the wind as I sway in the saddle;
...I love life! There's no clutter, nothing to addle!
I give my faithful cayuse Wild Lightning free rein,
...As we meander across God's magnificent terrain.

My old pal Duke trots ahead surveying sagebrush and crags;
...I sense that he enjoys life too by the tail he wags!
I crave no roof, the wide-open range is my home;
...Terrestrial boundaries don't confine me, freely I roam!

Well-worn saddlebags contain my earthly possessions;
...I don't aspire riches nor am I burdened by obsessions.
My soul overflows with wealth as I view His Creation;
...Ah, the grandeur of it all! 'Tis ample compensation!

I pause on a knoll viewing the vast panorama and ponder,
...The river, a lake, those snow-crowned mountains o'er yonder.
In the valley a herd of pronghorn antelope play;
...Nigh dusk The Master Artist paints a brilliant sunset display!

Campfire embers slowly die - Wild Lightning grazes nearby;
...Duke lies at my feet - snug in my blanket I gaze at the sky.
I anticipate being 'wakened by a glorious sunrise next morn,
...When Wild Lightning, Duke and I continue our vagabond bourne!

Copyright 2007 Robert L. Hinshaw