Cowboy Poet Gathering comes to Waxahachie on Saturday, Oct. 8

Grab your cowboy hat and boots and immerse yourself in the western lifestyle of cowboys at the Chautauqua’s Cowboy Poet Gathering, a free all-day event, on Saturday, Oct. 8.

From 8 a.m.-5 p.m., the Waxahachie Chautauqua Preservation Society is hosting its first ever Cowboy Poet Gathering. The day will include performances by many well-known cowboy poets and cowboy musicians in Texas and the United States.

David Smith, known as Waxahachie’s “cowboy poet lariat,” decided Waxahachie was the perfect place for a Cowboy Poet Gathering after he attended one in Cimarron, New Mexico, a year ago. Only 80 people attended, and the town only had about two restaurants and “hardly any place to stay,” Smith said. It got him thinking that Waxahachie has so much to offer from restaurants to hotels, and he believed the city would have a much better turnout.

He began reaching out to the Waxahachie Chautauqua Preservation Society, the city’s Visitor’s Bureau and the Sun and worked with them to create the gathering, an event he hopes will become an annual one.

He messaged his contacts of cowboy poets and musicians he had met throughout his 15 years in the industry. The performers include Ol’ Jim Cathey, Washtub Jerry, Teresa Burleson, Ramblin’ Rangers, Kristyn Harris, Jim Hodges, Smith and more.

Cowboy poetry is a type of poetry that often follows a traditional use of rhyme and meter and focuses on subjects related to cowboys.

Smith encourages families to come and give it try, saying this is their introduction into the different types of cowboy expression. Attendees will learn more about the western lifestyle through the tales of the poets and the music.

“It’s all about cowboy expression,” Smith said. “Cowboy poems and even the songs come out of an oral tradition of campfires on the cattle drives.”

After traveling about 10 miles a day, cowboys would settle down around the campfire and create their own tale about whatever happened that day – good or bad.

Smith first got into cowboy poetry when his friend invited him to go to a gathering. He listened to the cowboy poems, then during the open mic for amateurs to get up and recite their poems, he recited one of his. This began his passion for cowboy poetry.

Smith loves the history of cattle drives and most of his original poems focus on cattle drives, “the old West” and, of course, cowboys. He has published three books of poetry and been asked to create poems for state plaque dedications in Ellis County.

At noon, an open mic will be available at the gathering for anyone who would like to recite their own poetry, like Smith did.

Along with the poetry gathering, there will be two Birds of Prey shows at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with the Trash Can Transformation taking place from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Birds of Prey is a show featuring eagles and hawks presented by the Last Chance Forever Bird Conservancy, which is based in San Antonio. Trash Can Transformation gives artists, families or individuals the opportunity to paint a trash can for the parks department of Waxahachie. Paint supplies will be provided, but participants must reserve their trash can ahead of time through the Chautauqua’s website.

Food and concessions will be available in the park, and the cowboy poets and musicians will have books and CDs for sale.

For more information, visit https://www.waxahachiechautauqua.org/cowboypoetry2022.

Originally published September 23, 2022 - https://www.waxahachiesun.com/arts_and_entertainment/cowboy-poet-gathering-comes-to-waxahachie-on-saturday-oct-8/article_165480e6-3b9f-11ed-8a89-3b02361e0e69.html