Posted: February 2, 2009     Author: Cecil Garland

A Long Cold Night

A LONG COLD NIGHT

It was clear as a bell and colder than Hell.
A heifer moved away. It was time, she could tell.

She moseyed across the field to a tall, grassy spot
And stood there quietly and looked around a lot.

After a while and with not another sound
She gently laid her heavy body down.

She was feeling everything was all right
And so she began to push with all her might.

The calf put his toes up ahead of his face
He somehow knew he had to be in the right place.

She was restin' and then pushin' with all her power
And then with a gush, slosh, a steaming calf was there.

Soon on her feet, she was cleanin' off his nose
To let air in where the air needs to go.

It was then she caught in the corner of her eye
Two, big coyotes moving in on the sly.

With her head down low, and her tongue curled out
She charged with a mad beller heard all about.

While she ran one off, the other moved in
It was a desperate battle that she couldn't win.

But just like the cavalry flicks of old
Here came the herd blowin' steam in the cold.

Their tails were flaggin' high over their backs
They left no doubt that they were going to attack.

Now, them old dogs had been around
And they left in a hurry for safer ground.

The old cows sniffed at the new, young one
And then wandered off, their night's duty done.

The mom kept drying him off bit by bit
And soon he found that ever-lovin' teat.

Far off, you could hear the coyotes' angry curse
As they partook of breakfast of hearty afterbirth.

One thing they all knew from the bulls to the littlest
It was still that old law of the survival of the fittest.

It was clear as a bell and colder than Hell.
The rising sun cast its warming, magic spell.

It's all behind them now. And all is well.
So I hope ya'll liked this tale I tell.

* [Cecil Garland ranches in Snake Valley.]