On the Alberta/Montana Border: The Great Race

Spring. And babies. They just seem to go together.

I couldn't do better than to see them both through my mother's eyes.
A poem by Enes Stringam . . .

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The Lord God made them all.

God planned to make things new and bright,

That's why He made the spring.

When birds and creatures everywhere,

O'er sweet new babies sing.

Bobbi Cow, some years before,

Was born on icy ground;

Froze her tail and ears right off,

Before she had been found.

We called her Bobbi...family pet;

She had a fearsome face.

Now she and I were bound together

In an anxious race.

All through winter, cold and dark,

Bobbi's belly grew.

Embarrassed, but a little proud,

I blushed, for mine did, too.

All the cowboys' bets were on,

Just who would win the race?

The boss' wife or Bobbi pet—

Now milk cow on the place.

One by one, the days groaned by,

As I suffered all their cheer.

"Bobbi Cow will win, you'll see!

Her time is very near!"

Every day I stroked her side,

Lamenting the ways of women.

She switched her tail and tossed her head,

Her only thought was winnin'!

Then, that night. I tossed and turned,

There was no thought of resting,

Within the womb, the baby stirred,

The time had come for nesting.

We fired up the four-wheel-drive,

Just at the crack of dawn,

With wheels spinning, sparks a-fly,

The mighty race was on.

Each of us was sure she'd win,

The adrenaline flowed all day,

Me, in the delivery room,

And Bobbi in the hay.

Bobbi, then, received her cue,

(The same as her archrival,)

Urged on by a wildly cheering crew,

As they watched her calf's arrival.

And in the bright delivery room,

I pushed with all my might,

But the baby took its time,

And long became the night.

My hair and gown were soaked with sweat,

My strength began to fade,

And then one last colossal push,

Out popped our howling babe!

Then, suddenly, the race was done,

Who really cares who wins?

As I cuddled my darling baby girl,

And Bobbi licked her twins.

There were no losers, only champs,

It was a tie, you see.

A miracle and a Mother's love,

Transformed the cow. And me.

Bobbi and I declared a draw,

Both wiser and both thinner;

The light of love shone in our eyes,

Each one of us a winner!

Photo Credit: Karen of bakinginatornado.com

Cause Mondays do get knocked a lot,
With poetry, we all besought
To try to make the week begin
With gentle thoughts,
Perhaps a grin?
So Karen, Charlotte, Mimi, me
Have crafted poems for you to see.
And now you’ve read what we have wrought…
Did we help?
Or did we not?