Ride The Western Winds Poem by David Welch

When Robert was a small child
he watched those brave cowboys
riding across the TV screen,
their exploits he enjoyed.
The horses, guns, and shinny stars,
the ever stylin' hat…
It all spoke to Bob way deep down,
he wanted to try that.
He wanted to be a cowboy,
the thought just made him grin,
Bob figured that when he was big
he could ride the western winds.

But when informed his parents
they smiled so sadly,
the wild west was now long gone,
an impossible dream.
Bob's sister would just laugh at him,
as she painted her nails,
posted about her ‘redneck bro, '
how he was made of fail.
Bob couldn't help but feel something
slowly dying within,
it seemed that there would be no chance
to ride the western winds.

And when he grew he went and did
the things folks expected.
He went to school, got a degree,
a job to keep him fed.
But he still felt something missing,
and more than once he thought
of running out west to a ranch,
that kind of job he sought.
But before he could his girlfriend
conceived a kid with him,
they were married and settled down,
no time for western winds.

Bob made good money at his job,
kept the numbers in check
for big companies on the move,
made sure the books were set.
He wanted to vacation at
a dude ranch way out west,
but when he told his wife this thought
she balked at his request.
She wanted a tropical beach,
a place to show some skin,
she'd rather lay out in the sun
then ride the western winds.

It was the same tale every year,
she cared not for his likes,
and used him as an A.T.M, ,
he grew to hate his life.
He suspected her of cheating,
and she did not deny,
divorced him after seven years,
and the judge took her side.
Bob grumbled, but saw the freedom
he'd get form her great sin,
at least now he would get the chance
to go ride western winds.

But then came the alimony,
and lord it was a lot,
add into that child support
and Bob was left to rot.
He barely got to see his kid,
she wouldn't keep the terms,
and the court didn't seem to care
how this loss made him yearn.
He had to pay for a child
she taught to hate his kin,
and had not money for such dreams
as riding western winds.

Eventually his lost child
grew up and turned eighteen,
and his ex-wife wed a doctor,
to whom she could be mean.
Bob finally had some life back,
but just about that time
his mother was put in a home,
Alzheimer's claimed her mind.
The care was hugely expensive,
and much to his chagrin,
she hadn't saved a single cent…
so much for western winds.

He was fifty-three when she passed,
stress had taken its toll,
he worked and slept and not much else,
his every joint felt old.
With nothing left to hold him there,
and tightness in his chest,
he booked a week-long riding trip,
finally made it west.
He'd been riding for but two days
when his vision went dim,
clutched his heart and fell from his horse,
while riding western winds.

I saw it all, was his trail guide,
heard the man's last words.
He said to bury him nearby,
it sounded quite absurd.
But knowing how long he'd waited
to ride the wild trails,
I relayed his words to a judge,
and finally prevailed.
We buried him out on that spot,
and though it seems quite grim,
I smile 'cause in the next world
Bob rides those western winds.