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| This poem was presented to the Kansas Seed Industry Association, whose motto is "Success Starts With the Seed." |
There is a simple saying form many years ago.
The Good Book says it best: "You reap just what you sow."
That saying is a good one. I know that it is true,
And that is why I want to share these simple words with you.
When we're improvin' pasture, or seedin' in new hay,
We've gotta start with the best seed if it's gonna grow that way.
Farmin' can be challenging, and ranchin' can be tough.
A good crop doesn't have a chance if you start with the wrong stuff.
Good weather or bad, there's lots of things I can't control,
But one thing I can do is start with good seed in the hole.
So here's to all the seedsmen, for all their work and toil,
For helpin' those who work the land make a livin' from the soil.
The seed industry works hard to help the farmer and rancher go,
So thanks to all the seedmen for helpin' make us grow.
"You reap just what you sow," is what the Good Book reads,
So we salute the Kansas seedsman, cause success start with the seed.
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| This poem was presented to the annual "Fall Roundup" new teacher appreciation dinner put on by the Arkansas City Chamber of Commerce. |
I was invited to a roundup,
down Arkansas City way,
But it's not the type of roundup
that the cowboys do for pay.
This was different from the
roundups that I go to , as a rule,
Because this type of roundup
was a program for the school.
It's a welcome for the teachers,
and the idea is a winner.
The Chamber of Commerce
puts on this annual dinner.
They welcome the new people,
and that's not the only feature,
They get the local businesses
to sponsor the new teachers.
They call this thing a roundup,
but it really is a meetin',
Cause they do a little business
and have some good eatin',
But I kinda got to thinkin' that
roundup is a good name,
Cause ins some ways what we
cowboys do is really just the same.
You teachers gather kids, and
send 'em down school halls.
It's just like how us cowboys
gather calves up in the fall.
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It comes that time of year
when we get the new ones in.
We count 'em and we mark 'em,
and get each on in a pen.
There were more similarities,
the longer that I thought.
For example, every single calf
just has to have his shots.
Some take a little longer to get
in through the gate,
Just like down at the school,
where some kids are always late.
And on the first day, there's the
part that makes you wince.
Sometimes Mama's bawlin' on
the outside of the fence.
Each day there's times you
feed 'em, and times you turn 'em loose,
And you see 'em havin' fun
with the new friends that they choose.
Of course, I'll admit that lots of
things just aren't the same.
You teachers measure learning,
and we measure pounds of gain.
We'll winter all those calves,
and tend to everything,
But calves and kids will both
be happy when we turn 'em out next spring.
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