Ask a Cowboy Poet: “What three poems do you think should be considered new classics?"

June 2022

Last month, Seeking Out Standards asked “What three classic poems do you think every cowboy poet should know, and why?”

This month, the poets grapple with the follow-up,

What three poems do you think should be considered “new classics” that every cowboy poet (or cowboy poetry lover) should know? What’s the difference to you between classics and new classics?

Whittling down contemporary classics contenders to just three poems had the panelists wringing their hands this month. It went against their grain to cull a short list. But, they did the unpretty work. To all our benefit. The phrase “new classics” may ring oxymoronic, but there’s a wealth of great “new” cowboy poetry. These lists only scratch the surface. But, the whittling was an interesting exercise—a glimpse into why these poems strike a chord and how a working oral-literary tradition moves forward across the generations.

You’re a classic, Baxter.

The panelists’ responses were gathered before Baxter Black’s passing earlier this month, but it’s hardly a spoiler that Baxter Black is invoked below. The work of this kind, hilarious, larger-than-life cowboy poet and large animal veterinarian was much-known and much-loved. As was he.

In remembrance, please enjoy this Baxter Black video playlist tribute.

Waddie Mitchell:

When we talked about classic poetry, I offered this:

What is a classic cowboy poem? The way it seems to be is if it is known, recited, and has an awareness fifty years after being written, it has earned the right to be classified "classic."

So I might say, as of yet, there are no "new" classics. So what I will present is this:

What we will be calling new classics are the poems we are betting will be alive and well at fifty. The cream of the crop, so to say.

Hum, three poems I consider new classics? Again, just three of many of the best:

“Reincarnation” by Wally McRae. Engaging, light hearted crowd pleaser.

“Grass” by Buck Ramsey. Poignant, intelligent, appreciative, and real.

“The Horse Trade” by Sunny Hancock. Cowboy work, talk, great story, wonderfully written.

To me the difference in classic and new classic poems is the classics have stood the test of time and oral tradition, thus remaining in the social conscience. So it's "made it" as opposed to "wants to make it." New classics are those poems that have all the potential and criteria to become classic, but lack the generational years to be thought and considered as classics yet.

DW Groethe:

The definition of a "classic" to me is a poem or song that has stood the test of time and has become a part of the repertoire of many a performer...so-o-o-o...that kinda puts an interesting twist on anything fairly recent. Two that came to mind, after a bit of contemplation involving more than one bourbon, were Sunny Hancock's "The Horse Trade" and Wally McRae's (he'll never forgive me) "Reincarnation." It's a rare gathering where you don't hear at least one and usually both by various performers. So, I feel safe in labeling them as classics. My third offering is one that you don't hear that often...yet...I believe it truly is a classic and that's Buck Ramsey's "Anthem." It's almost haunting in its imagery and I never tire of it. Joel Nelson does a great job reciting it. Catch him if you can.

I hope that answers the question for you. I can't wait to see what everybody else says. Should be interesting.

Thanks for asking,

d dub

Virginia Bennett:

This question is much more difficult to answer, because, to choose just three out of perhaps 25 poems (at least!) penned by contemporary cowboy poets that qualify for classic status means that I will leave a poem dear to my heart off of my list. But I am up to the task, I think. In no order of importance, I will list three poems that should be remembered through future ages.

“Anthem” from the story-poem Grass by Buck Ramsey. There is no risk on my part to say that this piece of work has already received classic status from anyone who has read the book, heard it recited by the author or by other poets who have done it justice.

“For Woody” by Rod McQueary. Everything I just said about Buck Ramsey's “Anthem” can be stated about “For Woody,” a piece based upon a true event in this late poet's life.

“A Thousand Pretty Ponies” by Sue Wallis. I would always request this poem from Sue whenever I shared a stage with her or sat raptly in her audience.

Honorable Mentions (again, in no particular order): “The Medicine Keepers” by J.B. Allen, “Listen To The Sun Go Down” by Leon Flick, “Reincarnation” by Wallace McRae, “The Horse Trade” by Sunny Hancock, “The Granny Cow” by Audrey Hankins, “Fredonia” by Dee Stickland Johnson, “Chicken Outfit” by Rod McQueary, “The Men Who Ride No More” by Joel Nelson, “No Quit Attitude” by Waddie Mitchell, “All This Way for the Short Ride” by Paul Zarzyski, and anything by Baxter Black.

Truly, there are so many poems that have been written by cowboys and cowboy-women over the last 50 years or so that deserve to be included in this list. It is my sorrow not to be listing them here due to space and time constraints. We are certainly blessed to have so much fodder from which to choose.

Bill Lowman:

Classic poems and new classics are self-explanatory—preserving the bygone days and now recording our contemporary culture.

New Classics:

Baxter Black's "Buckskin Mare"
The Buckskin Mare tells a great story of the inner thoughts and code of the cowboy even though it’s possibly geographically improvised.

Baxter Black's "The Vegetarian’s Nightmare"
Baxter's "Veggie" poem exposes the anti-cowboy culture with humor to soften the differences. It's a subject we need to keep at the vanguard of our lifestyle.

My "Badlands Fire" from the book Walk ah Mile in my Bones
"The Badlands Fire" is a poem I wrote of our 1988 blaze and it is published in my third book, "Walk ah Mile in my Bones." It exposes what we're up against when a wild fire breaks out in our deep, western North Dakota badlands. We have fought many more like it. Please—take a look at it.

Yvonne Hollenbeck:

"The Horse Trade" by Sunny Hancock.

"He Talked About Montana" by Elizabeth Ebert.

"The Boys Who Ride No More" by Joel Nelson.

Dick Gibford:

These three cowboy poems come to mind, that in my humble opinion should qualify as new classics, certainly “Reincarnation” by Wallace McRae has already been accepted as such. “The Vegetarian’s Nightmare” by Baxter Black. “Three Wheeler” by Jess (Jesse) Smith.

The difference between classics and new classics is mostly in a generation gap or two. I don’t know, it’s not an easy thing to put one's finger on. And, there is a larger question that looms concerning if these new classics, as Seeking Out Standards has called them, are even old enough to have stood the test of time as yet. We have to be careful about watering down our standards here, lest we risk becoming like modern day politicians, such as giving out the nobel peace prize by the dozens.