This wonderful piece of poetry was published in the October issue of American Cowboy magazine as a tribute to rodeo legend Jim Shoulders.

"Cowboy Up"

Dedicated to Jackie Moss and all the wonderful volunteers at Earth Angels and Friends of Felines Defiance Ohio

"The Volunteers Creed"

Iron Horse was used by The North American Riding For The Handicapped Association (NARHA) quite a few years ago and was seen in many magazines. Celebrating the freedom that horses offer to those who are challenged both physically and mentally, we hope you enjoy Iron Horse.

"Iron Horse"

The Storm is a poem about relationships and how the choices we make in our lives can affect those we love. It is about compromise and understanding and fighting for all that is dear to you.

"The Storm"

Wild Thing teaches us that regardless of reputation, every horse has a pure soul and if we take the time to understand them better, the possibilities are endless. In the true tradition of western poetry, we offer you Wild Thing

"Wild Thing"

A Promise Made is a two part story of how the rugged cowboy life is not for everyone but there is an appreciation for the open range that transcends time and space and even love. It is two different perspectives of a lifetime spent loving one person so deeply and a simple promise made between two people who love each other. It is told in two parts, His Story and Her Story.

"A Promise Made"

The Gift is a poem that Tena wrote years ago about two childhood friends. This poem actually inspired two novels that take place in south Texas and span a lifetime of friendship. She is working on a third and final novel in this series she calls The Buckskin Mare.

"The Gift"

Whenever we lose someone important to us, we find comfort in our faith. Take me along serves as a reassurance that those we love and lose are still watching over us.

"Take Me Along"

In Autumn every year here in Ohio, we look forward to the Quarter Horse Congress. Tena has rarely ever missed a year attending. Good food and friends and the best damn horse show in the world!

"Congress"

Western poetry tells a story. "Texas" is a rather funny story that tells about two girls who decide to head out west. They run into a bit of trouble on the way. It is just a slight exaggeration of the truth however we hope you enjoy it.

"Texas"

“Cowboy up,” he heard ’em call as he settled in for his ride
“Okay, boys!” he hollered back and with all other thoughts aside
He came out of that chute like a bat out of hell; he would make history today
He knows he can go the eight seconds, but when he’s done, can he walk away?
That chute is sacred ground to most where only few have dared to tread
He knows pride goes before the fall so he would count on his wits instead

For him, it is not the fame and fortune that holds his spirit true
If respect is earned through sweat and tears then he has surely paid his dues
He was flirting with disaster with each and every ride
Some may call it rodeo but others call it suicide
For some, the price you pay is high but tradition outweighs the cost
Where would rodeo be today without the likes of Thurman and Frost?

He rode for all he was worth that day and in his heart, he had no doubt
They were smiling down on him because that’s what it’s all about
If he left with some change in his pocket when all was said and done
And a buckle of gold to hold up his Wranglers, he would feel he had truly won
For he knew it was only destiny that stood between him and each win
He would show them his pride, make his ride and then hit the road again
Thunder rolled through the grandstands that day as he picked himself up off the ground
He had captured another world title... he had won the last go round.

When his final ride was over, and memories were all that remain
He would look back on them fondly and recall the love of the game
Then one day he would close his eyes and take his final breath
But he would always be remembered for his life and not his death
Because a cowboy as tough as Jim Shoulders will never truly die
He will ride another bull someday in the rodeo in the sky

Tena Bastian - copyright
Top of Page

The Volunteers Creed

I have cradled a kitten in my arms
That was small and sick and was dying
I’ve given him a chance at a better life
I gave him hope without even trying.

I’ve taken a dog, neglected and abused
That was scared and hurt and alone
I’ve taught him to trust human beings again
And placed him in a loving home.

I’ve taken a horse that couldn’t walk
That was old and thin and lame
And although no one could ever ride him
I loved him just the same.

I’ve taken a cat that was less than perfect
Because she had no eyes to see
She needed a safe surrounding
So I kept her here with me.

I cry for the ones that don’t make it
I take joy in the ones that survive
I pray to God to give me the strength
To trust that only He will decide.

I open my heart and I open my home
When they need me, I will always be here
With your help, I know I can make a difference
Because I am a volunteer.

Tena Bastian - copyright
Copyright 2005
Top of Page

Iron Horse

Love came softly
Lowered its head
I couldn’t run away from you
So I reached for you instead

There you stood
Over fifteen hands high
My heart was pounding, I couldn’t breathe
I thought I was going to die

Never could I have imagined
Not in my wildest dreams
This place, this horse, this moment in time
No matter how real it seems

To come face to face with my fantasy
To once again feel whole
To look into your eyes and realize
The depth of my own soul

As I touched your mane, you stole my heart
I suddenly understood
If anything were to get me out of this chair
This palomino could
This iron horse beneath me
I had come to know too well
The memory of what put me here
My private living hell

It didn’t seem to matter to you
That I could never walk by your side
As you graze in the meadow or walk to the barn
After a long days ride

You stood so still, so patiently
As they lifted me out of my chair
I couldn’t climb on to your back by myself
But you didn’t seem to care

Priceless is the freedom
God gave to me that day
As I took the reins of this beautiful gelding
And slowly rode away

If only for a little while
I could forget what had happened to me
For I had traded in my iron horse
For one that would set me free

Tena Bastian - copyright
Top of Page

The Storm

Thunder rolled through the mountains, another storm was just ahead

He could smell the rain and feel the pain of all the things they both had said

He could feel her eyes upon him as he saddled up to ride

Was it anger she saw within him or a cowboy's foolish pride?

Her words had struck like lightening and his heart, he knew

that she would be gone when he returned but there was nothing he could do

Their lives had come full circle and now he was forced to choose

between the life he had come to know so well and the one he would stand to lose

She had tried to tame his restless heart and yet she knew he had to go

There were fences to mend then he'd be leaving again to ride the next rodeo

Like her favorite pair of Wranglers, he fit her like a glove

but if she asked him to stay, she'd be taking away a life he truly loved

The cowboy way is to ride while you can, to live your life with style

and if you love a cowboy, you better go that extra mile

The storm had passed, it was clear at last and the sky had turned indigo blue

but as she stood there just outside that barn, the storm within her grew

For she had come from cowboy stock as well and that girl knew how to ride

as she headed out, you could hear her shout "To hell with foolish pride!"

For all the women that loved cowboys, she took a stand that day

and the trail of dust she left behind could be seen from miles away

He did ride out that morning but he didn't go alone

The only fences he would mend that day were ones right here at home.


Tena Bastian - copyright
Top of Page

Wild Thing

Legend tells of a renegade, of a horse no one could tame
Her sire was the devil himself, Wild Thing was her name
No one knew where she came from, out of Arab blood, they say
When the leaves danced across the meadow on a cold October day
People would gather from miles around to watch her dance upon the wind
But they would only get a glimpse of her, then she would be gone again
Some had tried to capture her, to take her for a ride
The town folk called her "widow maker" for all the cowboys who had tried
Now there was this young man named Garrett, he had a way with horses I know
He headed into the hills one day to give ole wild thing a go
When he came across a clearing above a ridge called "Heavens Gate"
He thought to himself, "how appropriate" and he began to wait
He sat there for what seemed a lifetime anticipating what this horse might do
When all at once he heard thunder but the sky was the bluest of blue
He sat there and he waited, so still the young man stayed
The thunder was coming closer now, he closed his eyes and he prayed
Visions of the wild thing danced inside his head
This fire breathing renegade, he was as good as dead
When all had gone quiet, he opened his eyes and what he saw made him want to scream
For there before him stood this beautiful horse... a vision, a legend, a dream
He didn't try to capture her as so many others had tried
Instead he stood and waited and when she came, the young man cried
For in this horses eyes, he saw a reflection of his own fear
He looked into the horse's soul and understood what brought him here
God had brought the two together the only way he could
This horse was not a renegade, simply misunderstood
So now legend tells of the beautiful horse whose soul is the brightest of light
of the young man named Garrett who rides her, they roam the hills at night
People gather from miles around to watch them dance upon the wind
But they only get a glimpse of them.... and then they're gone again.


Tena Bastian - copyright
Top of Page

A Promise Made
His Story

His weathered face tells a story of the woman he loves so much
Rugged hands that serve him well left softened by her touch
A moment of silence as he rides out, as another days work begins
On every breeze comes a whisper and he can hear her voice again
With a promise of how much she loves him, yet in his heart, he knows
Mere words, not enough to hold her true so he simply watches as she goes
Eyes so full of sorrow reflect a heart so full of doubt
With tears to fill the riverbed left empty by the drought
It wasn't the first time she had left him since she had become his wife
But a promise made is a promise kept and he would love her for all of his life
.While working his herd toward the back of the ridge a hawk flies overhead
He would gladly trade places, give up everything he owns to be the hawk instead
To soar above all that troubles him, not to bow everyday at her feet
A moment's taste of freedom, however bittersweet.
There are times he thinks about leaving but he thinks with his heart, not his head
If he was thinking at all without so much as a call he would just keep riding instead
But he turns for home, the wind at his back no longer whispers her name
He knows she doesn't give a damn but he loves her just the same.
His weathered face tells a story of the woman he loved so much
Rugged hands that served him well left softened by her touch
A moment of silence, a cowboy prayer as they buried him that day
In his hand, the letter she gave him when she went away
Twenty years had came and went since he took her as his wife
But a promise made was a promise kept and he had loved her for all of his life.

A Promise Made
Her Story

Her weathered face tells a story of a woman so full of regret
Of a life spent missing the man she loves, a man she could never forget.
She stood there in the graveyard after everyone else had gone
The years had not been kind to her and now she stands alone.
She knew very little of promises, of love and all she had lost
She wanted only freedom and vowed to have it at any cost.
She never loved another, never gave her heart away
But she couldn't make him understand just why she couldn't stay
As the distant sound of his laughter echoed through her ears
She closed her eyes and said a prayer and brushed away the tears.
She had written him the letter telling him she had to go
But there was so much more that she didn't say, so much he needed to know
She could never make him understand how lonely her life had become
The ranch was not her destiny, it was his and his alone
The life they had was too difficult and she was never really that tough
It was a life that she swore would kill her someday and sometimes love’s not enough
Her weathered face tells the story of the promise she couldn't quite keep
She loved him then, she loves him now with a love so true and deep
But a love like theirs could not hold her to the harsh winters and rough terrain
So she left him there on the back of that ridge vowing never to return again
Twenty years have come and gone and she has returned to say goodbye
She lays a wildflower on his grave and she falls to her knees and she cries
Suddenly someone touches her shoulder, a young man with something to say
He says “Mom, it’s time to go now” and the two of them walk away.


Tena Bastian - copyright
Top of Page

The Gift

Two little girls from Texas, a little bit wild some say
I can still recall that summer as though it were just yesterday
So much more than a couple of kids who raised a lot of hell
Kindred spirits, riding buddies and the best of friends as well
Mama didn't like you much, said you were trouble from the start
But even the wrath of my mama couldn't keep us two apart
Holes in our jeans, old cowboy boots and hats that didn't fit.
You taught me how to run barrels and I taught you how to spit
Me on my pinto pony with you on your buckskin mare
We were old enough to know better but far too young to care
You my friend were a part of me, you shared my hopes, my dreams, my fears
When it came to letting go, you also shared my tears
I always thought Texas was heaven because you were here with me
We thought we were tough but not quite enough to survive what was yet to be
Daddy said accidents happen, sometimes without reason or rhyme
I prayed to God right then and there to just let me stop all time
We were only twelve years old and I wasn't ready to let you go
Your buckskin mare was standing there with her head hung way too low
"Promise me you will keep her", you had said to me that day
I tried not to cry as you said goodbye, I held your hand as you slipped away

Many years have come and gone since I put that mare to sleep
But I never make a promise that I don't intend to keep
When I look out in the meadow, out where the horses play
I think of you, my childhood friend and I wonder what you would say
I know if Texas were heaven, you would be out there
Riding as you did back then on THE SON of that buckskin mare
Two little girls from Texas but I am the mama now
As I watch them play on a summer day it takes me back somehow
Would you recall that summer as I do so now and then
Would you take me back to childhood days to ride those trails again
Although the hands that held those reins back then are now old beyond their years
And the eyes that watched you slip away are now weathered from the tears
My mind still echoes laughter and my heart still longs to play
My love you, my childhood friend grows stronger every day
Know that I still remember you and all the things that we had done
Know that in my memory... you will remain forever young.


Tena Bastian - copyright
Top of Page

Take Me Along

Take me along wherever you go
Where ever your life may lead you
Take me along and in your heart, know
that I will never truly leave you.

Remember the days when we were young
remember when we were together
When Christmas was magic and summers were fun
and we thought we would live forever.

Take me along when you find someone
to share your life and live your dreams
Know that I am right here with you
no matter how far away it seems.

Talk to me when you feel alone
and I will listen with an open heart
If you believe that my spirit is strong
We will never be too far apart.

Smile when you tell our story
to those who never knew
Smile when you tell them how you made my life better
and tell them how much I love you.

Take me along on rainy days
when your heart is heavy and the sun won't shine
When winter is over and spring is coming
Will you still be my valentine?

Take me with you wherever you go
and a hundred years from now
I'll be waiting for you with open arms
and I know you will find me somehow.

I will be there in every breath you take,
every beat of your heart, everything you do
I will love you forever and ever
so take me along with you.


Tena Bastian - copyright
Top of Page

Congress

Another year has come and gone
I can't believe it is time to go
To the American Quarter Horse Congress
Super Sale and show.

It is Autumn here in Ohio
A chill is in the air
The leaves with their brilliant colors
are falling everywhere.

It is the heart of cowboy country
here in the midwest
There's a license plate from every state
We've gathered the best of the best!

There's halter and pleasure, roping and reining
There's stallion avenue
Shopping and clinics, demos and food
It is the place where dreams come true.v
I will meet you in Cooper arena
as soon as you get into town
Grab your hat and shine your boots
Tell 'em all you're Congress bound.


Tena Bastian - copyright
Top of Page

Texas

Doing 90 down the interstate with my best friend at the wheel
You have no idea how good that makes me feel. (NOT!)
Her license has been suspended and she is not supposed to drive
I would be forever grateful Lord, if you get us there alive
We are headed out to Texas but where we are now, I don't have a clue
So I thought I would write a couple of lines just to say goodbye to you
I should have told you where we were going but she said we would call to say
"Honey, don't pay the ransom", "We were kidnapped but we got away".
I never should never have listened to her! What I was thinking, I just don't know
When she said we were grown up and haired over and did not need permission to go
There is bologna in the cooler but no one brought any ice
We were all the way to Nashville before we even realized
I was asleep in the back seat of the dually when she hollered, "Whats that smell?"
Then she swerved to miss oncoming traffic. I swear this is the trip from hell!
She told me yesterday morning that we were halfway to San Antone'
Then I saw a sign that said "WELCOME TO VEGAS"
Now something was definitely wrong.
Now I know I am not a genius but I do not need a map to know
that Vegas is not the halfway point between Texas and Ohio
So smelling about like the cooler, we went in and placed our bet
We only had a twenty between us and we still had not eaten yet
We doubled our money, then doubled again and then I sat down and cried
With a big ole smile, she looked at that man and hollered "LET IT RIDE!"
The casino owner was awfully nice keeping your truck until we pay our debt
I called you to say I was sorry but I think you were a little upset
I know you didn't mean it when you said the locks had been changed
I love you honey, I want to come home and for the record, I am not deranged
I am begging you to take me back, please give me another chance
It is all her fault! I swear to you that I am a victim of circumstance!
What does that mean, "Don't show your face?" Oh and by the way
That platinum card that you gave me, well they've done taken it away
But not before I bought a ticket for a one way trip back home
Oh yeah, they gave me your message that when I get there, you'll be gone.
I will be there in the morning and we can talk about it then
If you decide it is over, I will be flying out again
You see I sort of met somebody who doesn't care if I am lying or not
It's the deputy that took me to the airport after I left your truck at the impound lot
As for Heidi, she never made it to Texas, when I left she was still a bawling
Dealing blackjack for the casino owner but I think she has found her calling
I could hear her shout at the top of her lungs as they escorted me outside
Things like "DOUBLE UP!" and "HIT ME AGAIN!"
and my favorite... "LET IT RIDE!"


Tena Bastian - copyright
Top of Page