Saturday, August 10, 2013

Cowboy Stories

The Bedaux Expedition was an attempt by eccentric French millionaire,Charles Eugène Bedaux to cross the British Columbia wilderness, while making a movie, testing Citroën half-tracks and generating publicity for himself. He set off on this unusual and ill-conceived excursion accompanied by more than a hundred people,. Also along for the trip were several dozen Alberta cowboys and a large film crew. The expedition started off at Edmonton, Alberta on July 6, 1934 and their goal was to travel 1,500 miles (2,400 km) to Telegraph Creek, British Columbia. Much of the trip would have to be made through regions that were relatively uncharted and had no trail  -  wiki (here)
                                                                            Attribution: Frank Swannell
Image: The Alberta cowboys who were with the Bedaux Expedition
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

                                                                      Atrribution: MGM Records
Image: Hank Williams and The Drifting Cowboys
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

                                                                              Attribution: Richie Diesterheft
Image: The Brokeback Cowboys all in twos
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Cowboy stories ran the whole gamut
Of the hazardous the pain and the skill
Of roving able-bodied men who sought
The Wild West taking with them the zeal

Of rounding up, to brand and tame
Wild steers across plains or in ranches
Giving rise to likes of Hollywood fame
Cowboy greats Gene Autry and Roy Rogers

When later came the makes of films Italian
In the likes of Clint Eastwoods and Franco Nero 
that gave a new life to blood spills and guns 
Very unlike the rough ride of the Expedition Bedaux
That trekked through uncharted terrains
And the romances of love life in songs
of the Drifting Cowboys and Hank Williams 

To  the modern day tough and tumble
of such fascinating teams like the Dallas Cowboys
In posh and grand stadiums of football
complete with alluring cheerleaders as a ploy

Until recently when liberal resurgence
made the manly able-bodied he-man surge
to a higher level where companions
by twos of Brokeback Cowboys emerge

Written for Mystic Mom's hosting at d'Verse with Poetics Cowboy Up

22 comments:

  1. i don't know why i didn't expect that ending...it was certainly not unpredictable, and yet, i didn't see it coming.

    Midnight Cowboy — A Quick Review

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    1. We have some theme similarities MZ! You've done yours in more details. It was great!

      Hank

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  2. interesting...so i am wondering about the conclusion of the expedition...guess i need to look it up...the cowboy image, while much has stayed the same has def expanded as well...

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    1. Following your comment I've provided the Wiki link. Thanks Brian!

      Hank

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  3. Bedaux Expedition - totally fascinated to hear more of this story. I'm off to google (thanks)

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    1. Please do Marge! Pl see the link provided

      Hank

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  4. interesting history



    ALOHA from Honolulu
    Comfort Spiral
    ><}}(°>

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  5. you well narrated the change in the image of a cowboy with time. interesting and an enjoyable read.

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  6. oh wow...what an interesting expedition... think i will go and google it... sometimes such projects turn out completely different than expected...they have a way of developing themselves..

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  7. What an expedition.. wonder were things like that can be done today? and the history of Cowboy images was a nice ride through the world of films.

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  8. Hank, so often you capture the history of something in your poems. This is no exception. You know I really loved Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. Actually I sent for autographs from both of them, and for a long time I had Roy Rogers' autograph. I bet it was real too, not something signed by a machine. I used to like the Lone Ranger too (you didn't mention him) and was very excited about the movie that recently came out...but I heard it was bad so I don't want to waste my time. I will remember my Lone Ranger from the past and his "Hiho Silver." Ha, you mentioned Clint Eastwood. I never got into him as cowboy either truly...actually I wasn't a fan of his whatever he played. Have a good day, Hank.

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    1. You have Roy Roger's autograph! It may mean some dough by now. You know, I normally google for info before writing. There's so much new things to learn. It makes it easier to write. The Johnny Depp Tonto remake is not working out well? It was given lots of promo before. Pity! To me, Clayton Moore and Jay Silverhill were the real Lone Rangers. Yes, the spaghetti cowboys made a quick impact and an equally quick exit. Thanks for a gem of a comment Ma'am!

      Hank

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  9. I too wondered what happened to the expedition ~ I like Clint Eastwood but never watched Brokeback Mountain ~ I actually prefer the classic cowboys to the Hollywood types ~

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  10. They certainly have captured public imagination one way and another over the decades.

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  11. Love this! A collection of snapshots of cowboy history across the board - and a nice inclusion of history with the expedition and of course a nice wry ending! Thanks for joining in. Cowboys certainly are not seen the same by everyone, least of all themselves!

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  12. There is tons of history indeed and yet much seems to stay the same

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  13. I prefer the Aussie cow cockies to the America Cowboy Hollywood types. Now that is what you don't have in KL...Malaysian cowboys:)

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  14. Hank, you got me with the last line. And why are all the old pix of cowgirls always in skirts? Lots of them wore pants... You make me laugh, brother, with that closing! But gay guys can be he-men, too. Amy

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