I started developing The Cowboy Cabaret as a one-man performance in which the audience got to select the songs for each show from a deck of custom cards, each with a song I knew how to play. Initially, I improvised the banter I used to introduce each of the songs. However, as I continued to perform the show, I realized I needed something a little more prepared.
I started writing short scripts for each of the songs, and on the fourteenth one, the last line rhymed, reminding me that I was a poet. From there, the rhymes just continued to flow. At the time, I was unaware of the “Cowboy Poetry” movement, but the archetypal character who has returned from beyond the horizon, and my childhood dream of being a cowboy, just seemed to organically fit for the show.
The poems in this collection are mostly based on songs from the show, with a few of the songs I’ve written over the years thrown in to help balance things out. I hope you enjoy them and that they inspire you to cowboy up. If you like the poems, order a copy of the paperback Cowboy Up so you can own the entire collection.
