Cowboy Poets Russ Westwood, Mike Prince and Hap Stuart spent some time off the range and away from the crowds at Mesquite Days to regale their audience with tales of life on the range. On Saturday, May 6 three poets gave the crowd a slight glimpse of what a cowboy’s life can be in one very humorous and entertaining hour.

The free event was sponsored by the City of Mesquite and the Virgin Valley Heritage Museum.

Cowboy poetry is a form of poetry which originated and grew out of a tradition of reciting impromptu stories which were carried on by workers on cattle drives and ranches.

 After a day of work, cowboys would gather around the campfire and entertain one another with tall tales and folk songs. Illiteracy was common among ranch hands, so poetic forms were used to aid in memory. This distinct flavor of poetry opens a window into the past when solitude and loneliness was a cowboy’s only companion.

For additional information on the cowboy poets in your neighborhood, visit their website mesquitewesternpoetry.com or contact Russ Westwood at 385-241-1123.