Western Poetry, Music and Stories brings a rich kaleidoscope of color from a time when everything was wild and open in the American West. It is exciting to hear and share the stories as told from those who lived it and to still be part of the continuing saga of that heritage. "The Barnyard Chonicles" is a collection of one families journeys from yesterday today and from the ridiculous to the sublime.
This is a story from the "Hatton Barnyard Chonicles" by Donna and Tom Hatton. This was told to me by a cowboy named Don White when I was just a brand new bride. Don said he had found the remains while riding his horse somewhere down near Phantom Canyon. My imagination took over and I created thescene asI saw it in my mind.
Grizzly Remains
Along the ridge the grizzly sow
searched for a cave, as the
first snow flakes were starting to fly.
She paused to push over a log
searching for grubs and then
stood surveying the graying sky.
Her nose quivered, gathering
the scents that swirled dancing
there upon the howling icy wind.
Sifting, sorting the odors that
told her of the dangerfrom her
two legged enemies called men.
Something new had passed along
the rugged trail and it raised the
ruff atop her massive back.
She stood silent and still
blending into the deep shadows
along the rugged mountain track.
The Cowboy sat quietly watching
as she grumbled beneath the
twisted piney trees.
Lifting his rifle he sighted down
the barrel lining up his shot
across his shaking knees.
As he shot, the old sow turned
to bolt for the field of granite
boulders down below
He thought that he had
lost her until she topped out
on the far plateau.
Tracking her became difficult
following her blood trail
as the days light began to dim
and then that cowboy hunter knew
with an eerie certainty, that the griz
was stalking him.
A cold sweat poured out and his
heart thundered in his ears
as he listened for any sound
and every nerve told him she
was close as he sat there
shivering on the ground.
The wounded bear was angry
she was dying her fur stained by the
blood she bled,
but the cowboy knew when
she finally rushed him
that both of them were dead.
Spring comes slowly in the
mountains and years of springs
would pass the valley by
Until one day the story of the
adversaries would unfold to catch
another hunter's eye.
Snows had once hidden away
the signs of the struggle, but
the story was told in the bones so entwined
and the Cowboy who found
them in the forest left
them, together for all time.