FROM THE POHOT PLACE
Loren’s story of colored horses, the great plume
of dust rising into the sky as they descended
from Buckeye – the same high ridge and deep
drop into the flat along the Kaweah that Dad & I
kicked cattle off each June – I could see it
in his eyes from the hillside across the canyon.
Bays, sorrels and duns bumping, leaping downwards,
single file – Fred Ward’s gather for the cavalry
strung for half-a-mile. It happened then, he said,
when he wanted to be a cowboy. Gills, Salinas,
Arizona rodeos, knotted tail of a paint horse
disappearing with the crack of manzanita,
forsaking the bunch for a wild one – working best
on his own. Old and cranky, put his pocket knife
to Leroy’s throat for riding in front of him
on the Roble Lomas. You could see dying
come back to life in his brown eyes, a sudden
damp reflection riding up the creek to Ishom
atop a wagon full of carp dried upon the rocks
at Belle Point. We shared it gently, heard
voices in the same place for a long time.
- for Loren Fredricks
Loren was constantly sketching. I bought this one at a fundraiser for his doctor bills at Nina Dunn's in 1993, put it on the Summer/Fall 1993 issue of Dry Crik Review. http://www.cowboypoetry.com/drycrik.htm#summer3
Another 3/4s!
Comments
Just one question though. Have you made writing this blog as your profession or do you do this in your extra time? Merely wondering..
Posted by: debt consolidation | March 13, 2010 2:55 PM
Beats TV for me. I'm in bed by 8 and up by 4.
Posted by: John Dofflemyer | March 14, 2010 12:53 PM
This is the first time that I had found your blog and very suprised to find my fathers work on you cover. He would have been very suprised and happy to see his work on your cover. It seems he was always sketching something. He loved drawing horses. Thank you again. L.
Posted by: Lynn Fredricks | April 1, 2010 3:42 PM
Lynn,
Glad you like your father's sketch - no doubt about his style.
When you live in a place all your life, you can't help thinking about those who went before you on the same ground. Loren didn't have patience with everyone, but for whatever reasons, we got along. I'm proud of that and think of him often.
- John
Posted by: John Dofflemyer | April 2, 2010 5:38 AM
Dear John... I am so happy that someone put in writing for everyone to read Loren's feelings about growing up on Dry Creek. I was married to him for 20 years, and had the wonderful opportunity to have him share so much of his life with me. He truly was a "Real Cowboy" He did it all. There could be a great book written here. Our daughter Leslie would sit and watch him draw for hours. She would suggest something and he would draw it for her. She has the last one he drew before his stroke. It is framed and on her livingroom wall. She asked that certain things be added, and he would put them in for her. There was a love between them that will never be matched. Leslie and I are truly grateful for your kind words.
Jan and Leslie Fredricks
Posted by: Jan Fredricks | October 28, 2010 7:42 AM
Thanks Jan. We know there is no replacing characters like Loren, they're part of the landscape for those of us who remember - all real and larger than life, certainly more dynamic than today's watered-down, politically correct strain of land occupants. I remember Leslie at 5 or 6 @ Shady Acres as a beautiful, happy child. Trust you're both well and healthy.
Posted by: John Dofflemyer | October 29, 2010 5:15 AM