Cattleman's Prayer

Cattleman’s Prayer

Now O Lord, please lend thine ear,
The prayer of the Cattleman to hear;
No doubt many prayers to the seem strange,
But won’t you bless our cattle range?

Bless the round-up year by year
And don’t forget the growing steer;
Water the land with brooks and rills
For my cattle that roam a thousand hills.

Now, O Lord, won’t you be good,
And give our livestock plenty of food;
And to avert a winter’s woe
Give Italian skies and little snow.

Prairie fires won’t you please stop,
Let thunder roll and water drop;
It frightens me to smell the smoke,
Unless it’s stopped, I’ll go dead broke.

As you, O Lord, my herds behold-
Which represents a sack of gold-
I think at least five cents per pound
Should be the price of beef the year round.

One more thing and then I’m through,
Instead of on calf, give my cows two.
I may pray different than others, but then,
Still I’ve had my say, and now, Amen!

–Author unknown, circa 1890