by Rod Nichols

Lil Boots was what we called him,
he was just a toddler then
in a pair of tiny cowboy boots
I’d bought one day back when.

They were only there for display
by a larger pair for sale,
all hand-tooled custom leather
just the same in all detail.

So I paid the man good money
and I bought that tiny pair,
our little boy just loved ’em
Lord he wore ’em everywhere.

But time doesn’t wait for no one
and as all boys fin’lly do,
Lil Boots outgrew that first pair
so went on to some brand new.

Lil Boots became a tall young man,
he no longer wore that name,
served his country faithfully
then came home to us again.

He married and the wedding groom
wore a tux and western boots,
and I a grin from ear to ear
that long-legged great galoot.

Then just the other evenin’ late
I got this wondrous call,
“You’d better brush them old boots up
we’ll need ’em soon ‘Grandpa’.”

Lil Boots was what we called him
for the tiny boots he wore,
now life has come full circle,
Lil Boots is home once more.

I don’t think Mr. Nichols would mind if I shared what he told me a little while ago in an email…the reason why he’s got such a love of boots.

“I was born on January 3, 1942, in Nacogdoches, Texas. This is the oldest town in Texas. My dad was passing a shoe shop/boot shop one day and saw this little pair of boots that were an exact replica of some on sale. These were really for display and not made for a child, but my dad fell in love with them and bought them from the owner. I wore them as a toddler and my mother put them away. She gave them to me shortly before she passed away some years ago. They are still in good condition and sit on my bookcase. I thought about bronzing them but never did. Now my son and his wife tell me I’m going to be a grandfather for the first time in June. Well, I got to looking at those old tiny boots and then I wrote this poem.”

Links

• There is plenty more of Rod Nichol’s poetry on his cowboy poetry page …and even a few more pieces at www.cowboypoetry.com, where Rod Nichols is a recipient of the prestigous “Lariat Laureate Award”.

© Rod Nichols, 2002. All poems are copyright the artist and should not be reproduced without permission.

by Bob E. Lewis (1929-2001)

There’s one chore that I sure hate to do,
Living this old cowboy life of mine.
It’s going to town to buy new clothes,
Somewhere around Christmas time.

I went into this old boot store one day,
Just to see if I could possibly find,
A new pair of good old bullhide boots,
That might last a long long time.

I found a pair a setting on the shelf,
That looked mighty good and strong,
The salesman said you better try them,
To make sure they’re not too short or long.

I would have to pull these old boots off,
So I sat down in a chair that was there,
I wondered if I had put on clean socks,
When I washed and I greased up my hair.

I waited til I could see no one around,
Then I pulled that old boot off you see,
My big toe was sticking plumb out in plain sight,
My boot went on, then away I did flee.

I rode my old horse as fast as I could,
Back out to the bunkhouse alone.
I’d not have a new pair of boots for this year,
I’d just wear this old pair I had on.

I will always remember Mr. Bob E. Lewis for his generosity. His Rafter “L” Ranch is full of good heart-felt poetry…like this one, and Those High Topped Boots (did ya see page 4?). Please pay his Rafter “L” Ranch a visit.

Links

• Please visit Rafter “L” Ranch to read more Bob Lewis poetry…and that of his friends. This website has the unique feature of posting many of the poems in audio-format.

© Bob E. Lewis, 1999. All poems are copyright the artist and should not be reproduced without permission.

Yippee!! People are startin’ to use the group photo page!

Wanna know what cowboy boots and baseball gloves have in common?

I met up with Clay and his pal, Rolf, on Friday. We sat outside at Zeitgeist, a dive bar near Rolf’s house. We drank beer…talked about cowboy boots and hot rods…blah, blah, blah…it was all kinds of fun. Clay brought with him one of the boots he’s makin’ for “Miss Rodeo Colorado”. Keep yer eye on his web page, they’re bound to turn up there soon…black, red, and little white lacing in just the right place. Later, we all went over to see a couple guys Rolf knows is startin’ up a hot rod “lifestyle” magazine called “Garage”. The magazine is nice and slick (photographs by Dave Perry) …and so brand spankin’ new, they’ve still only got a hotmail address.

There’s nothin’ that goes better with a gas pedal than a cowboy boot.