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Home  »  An American Anthology, 1787–1900  »  802 Vaquero

Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900.

By JoaquinMiller

802 Vaquero

HIS broad-brimmed hat pushed back with careless air,

The proud vaquero sits his steed as free

As winds that toss his black abundant hair.

No rover ever swept a lawless sea

With such a haught and heedless air as he

Who scorns the path, and bounds with swift disdain

Away, a peon born, yet born to be

A splendid king; behold him ride and reign.

How brave he takes his herds in branding days,

On timbered hills that belt about the plain;

He climbs, he wheels, he shouts through winding ways

Of hiding ferns and hanging fir; the rein

Is loose, the rattling spur drives swift; the mane

Blows free; the bullocks rush in storms before;

They turn with lifted heads, they rush again,

Then sudden plunge from out the wood, and pour

A cloud upon the plain with one terrific roar.

Now sweeps the tawny man on stormy steed,

His gaudy trappings tossed about and blown

About the limbs as lithe as any reed;

The swift long lasso twirled above is thrown

From flying hand; the fall, the fearful groan

Of bullock toiled and tumbled in the dust—

The black herds onward sweep, and all disown

The fallen, struggling monarch that has thrust

His tongue in rage and rolled his red eyes in disgust.