Like a strong cowboy cup of coffee, these poetic treasures will help the reader start the day. From the west to the interior and beyond it is properly divided into three poetry sections, each with a slightly different genre. Most of this book is “Cowboy Poetry”, which covers a wide range of emotions. Some verses are capricious to the point of laughing out loud, others are cynical to the point of fatalism; But all of these offerings are entertaining, and many provide the reader with introspection and exploration of thought.
The author, Dick Warwick, certainly knows the “West” as he has been a wheat farmer throughout his long life. He has raised horses, chickens and cattle, baled and harvested wheat, barley and lentils during hot and dusty summers in the Palouse Hills in eastern Washington state. Warwick has also spent several of “our” winters harvesting wheat in Australia, hence the “Outback” experiences. However, our author is much more than a farmer and rancher. Warwick is a classic example of the renaissance man, as he was an honor student and javelin thrower at Stanford University; he has been a writer, performer, musician, builder, artist, grandfather, and much more. His vast experiences and knowledge provide the reader with inspiration and insight.
My personal favorite poems are in the “Beyond” section of the book. Some of the most perceptive include My old Chevy truck, Don’t lock me up, The mayfly, and the very funny The end user. Having personally faced many bullets when I was young, I found Hayboy, from the “Out West” section of the book, to feel nostalgic for me. And, in my opinion, the most thought-provoking offerings include The brutal boss an ironic poem that highlights the dilemma of the typical self-employed farmer. That poem entertains us with its fanciful and revealing ending. And finally, The dollar clock invokes reflection and melancholy.
This book of poetry belongs to the new self-published genre, but unlike some of those unedited books, this one is flawless. Also, I laughed a lot at the title and icon of the author and publisher. The publisher’s title is Cowhand Press and the icon appears to be a cow. However, after further investigation, it can be determined that the cow is the tracing of an inverted hand with added bovine characteristics, hence “cow hand”.
I suggest that the reader start the day with one of these entertaining poems, and I recommend this collection to all discerning poetry readers!
