Badger Clark (1883–1957)

Reviews from Goodreads:

"Cowboy poetry grows from various roots and has merged and blended over the last century, but Charles "Badger" Clark was one of the earliest practitioners and his poems are well-loved and continue to be read today. I had read these years ago, but returned to them this month because I'm working on a poem of my own in that style.

Sharp, succinct, witty, and wise without pedantic rules of grammar, spelling, or versification, cowboy poetry is worth reading and preferably aloud. Clark's work is a bit more scholarly, as one might expect from an educated man who came late in life to the western frontier. Even so, he captures the essence of it all and gives us the feelings (above all else, the feelings) one experienced there.

Available in many reprinted or electronic editions, including Kindle and Project Gutenberg. For the readers of poetry in general, or western writing of all kinds, Clark is an essential element."

"Never have read such soul-stirring poetry. Loved every one of them. One can feel his love for the prairies, horses, fellow cowboys, open & free spaces. His love of the land, stars, moons, sunrises ,sunsets all were so clear to me. Lovely phrasing . A look into his soul"… (mehr)