A Saddle Tramp Soliloquy

By BJ Smith

Within the pages of this book, you will be swept away to find your place ’round the campfire of a wilderness wrangler where laughter, wisdom, and nature abound. The stories between these covers describe a lifetime of experience as an environmentalist, alpine skier, Mountie of the North, horse whisperer, and western humorist, told in rhyme and rhythm as they frequently are presented at Western festivals, banquets, and the occasional cruise liners. BJ Smith is well known as a cowboy poet extraordinaire, winner of the Will Rogers Award, and has routinely featured as a keynote speaker throughout North America.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Jan 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781645368724

BJ Smith

BJ Smith is an Equine Canada and Certified Horse Association riding coach. An experienced horse trainer, packer, coach, clinician, survival expert, Canadian ski patroller, he has consulted equine wilderness topics at university and college level. Following a full career in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, where he experienced years of service in the Arctic, he supervised criminal investigations for the Government of Alberta while instructing at the Lethbridge Community College Criminal Justice Program. He routinely guides groups of wilderness travelers horseback through the Rockies, often on trips of a hundred miles or better. His skill and knowledge as a packer and horseman have been recognized by the Alberta Trail Riders Association and he has conducted clinics in Western Canada. His lectures and presentations are never boring or difficult to follow as he is a well-known Western entertainer. Winner of the Will Rogers Award for the Academy of Western Artists’ top Cowboy Poetry CD of the Year and the International Cowboy Poetry Rodeo’s Silver Buckle, his performances have been featured at cowboy poetry gatherings and festivals throughout Western Canada, the USA, and on cruise liners. “BJ Smith is a multi-talented man, a career Mountie, a horseman, and a packer, as well as probably being the best writer and performer of cowboy poetry I know. This book of poetry reflects his life experience with eloquence and brilliant humor. He is a man of integrity, and I am proud to call him my friend.” — W.J. “Robbie” Robertson, The Mountie Cowboy Poet “What makes a stellar cowboy poet? I’m not sure I know, but I do know that under some cowboy poets’ hats is nothing more than a head of hair, and many don’t even have that! Under BJ Smith’s hat, and beating in his chest, is a head and heart for the west, generously laced with imagination, originality, gripping detail, and a lifetime of stories worth telling. And a story worth telling is worth telling well, something this Canadian favorite does without fail on the stage or on the page. In this saddle tramp’s saddlebags and in the pages of this book, you will find grit, grace, magic, stardust, wisdom, laughter, and a writer’s devotion to rollicking good rhyme. Thus endeth my soliloquy; now starteth my happy anticipation at cracking open a great new book from one of Canada’s best contemporary poets and reciters.” — Doris Daley, Western poet and performer

Book preview

A Saddle Tramp Soliloquy

Austin Macauley Publishers

A Saddle Tramp Soliloquy

About the Author

Dedication

Copyright Information ©

Acknowledgment

Foreword

Preface

Chapter 1: Mom and Dad

Chapter 2: Coming of Age

Chapter 3: The Mounties

Chapter 4: The Ski Patrol

Chapter 5:Buddies

Chapter 6:Horse Trails

Chapter 7:Creation

Chapter 8:Events

Chapter 9:Just for Fun

Farewell

About the Author

BJ Smith is an Equine Canada and Certified Horse Association riding coach. An experienced horse trainer, packer, coach, clinician, survival expert, Canadian ski patroller, he has consulted equine wilderness topics at university and college level. Following a full career in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, where he experienced years of service in the Arctic, he supervised criminal investigations for the Government of Alberta while instructing at the Lethbridge Community College Criminal Justice Program. He routinely guides groups of wilderness travelers horseback through the Rockies, often on trips of a hundred miles or better. His skill and knowledge as a packer and horseman have been recognized by the Alberta Trail Riders Association and he has conducted clinics in Western Canada. His lectures and presentations are never boring or difficult to follow as he is a well-known Western entertainer. Winner of the Will Rogers Award for the Academy of Western Artists’ top Cowboy Poetry CD of the Year and the International Cowboy Poetry Rodeo’s Silver Buckle, his performances have been featured at cowboy poetry gatherings and festivals throughout Western Canada, the USA, and on cruise liners.

BJ Smith is a multi-talented man, a career Mountie, a horseman, and a packer, as well as probably being the best writer and performer of cowboy poetry I know. This book of poetry reflects his life experience with eloquence and brilliant humor. He is a man of integrity, and I am proud to call him my friend.

— W.J. Robbie Robertson, The Mountie Cowboy Poet

"What makes a stellar cowboy poet? I’m not sure I know, but I do know that under some cowboy poets’ hats is nothing more than a head of hair, and many don’t even have that! Under BJ Smith’s hat, and beating in his chest, is a head and heart for the west, generously laced with imagination, originality, gripping detail, and a lifetime of stories worth telling. And a story worth telling is worth telling well, something this Canadian favorite does without fail on the stage or on the page. In this saddle tramp’s saddlebags and in the pages of this book, you will find grit, grace, magic, stardust, wisdom, laughter, and a writer’s devotion to rollicking good rhyme.

Thus endeth my soliloquy; now starteth my happy anticipation at cracking open a great new book from one of Canada’s best contemporary poets and reciters."

— Doris Daley, Western poet and performer

Dedication

When I direct my mind to those who have been and are very important to me, I realize how much I have for which to be thankful. There are so many tributes I could make on this page to people who have been huge in my life. Many are gone and maybe some are yet to arrive. It is true that I have had some hurdles to conquer, some of my own making, but all considered, I am blessed.

There are three women in particular that I would like to dedicate this book to. All three have had very different influences on me and all three are not part of my cowboy poetry community. As much as anyone on this Earth, however, all three are very important to me. I love them very much.

Randi Lee is my precious daughter who brought with her an infectious giggle as a child and now fills me with pride as she successfully seeks her way in her world. She has traveled to almost every corner of the globe and is as capable and self-reliant as anyone can be. Randi is my sunshine.

Jodi Lynn is my first child and was born in the Yukon. Her adventurous spirit has served her well. She has faced chronic and serious health issues that would leave most people helpless and yet her determined benevolent personality has delivered a level of financial and social success beyond the boundary. Jodi is my inspiration.

Laurel Joan is my sister, one of four wonderful sisters who have always been in my corner. In recent years, both Laurey and I have walked a more solitary path, and she has been my comfort. She is the shoulder, the sounding board, the warm hug I need and is always there when I seek shelter. Laurey is my confidant.

Copyright Information ©

BJ Smith (2021)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

All of the events in this memoir are true to the best of author’s memory. The views expressed in this memoir are solely those of the author

Ordering Information

Quantity sales: Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data

Smith, BJ

A Saddle Tramp Soliloquy

ISBN 9781645362814 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781645362807 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781645368724 (ePub e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020909690

www.austinmacauley.com/us

First Published (2021)

Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

40 Wall Street, 33rd Floor, Suite 3302

New York, NY 10005

USA

[e-mail]

[phone]

Acknowledgment

As you read the pages that follow in this book, you will come to realize that I have an appreciation for the love and guidance my parents provided me. Both my father and mother have gone to their next lives, but they left this world as a shining example of good. With them is my oldest brother who was my hero, the jet fighter pilot, the hunter, the baseball player, the world wheat merchant that I aspired to emulate. They set the bar high but I haven’t stopped trying to reach it.

I count among my friends, many folks who write poetry and ballads and join me in performances. There are many who have given me encouragement, advice, and support as I have tried to hone my craft. To name only a few, I would like to acknowledge Rod Erickson, Ed Brown, Len Carrol, Robbie Robertson, Perry Jacobson, Ben Crane, Doris Daley, and Karen Little, all who in their own way have helped me on my journey. There are many more.

Much of what I write would never be possible without the opportunity I have enjoyed to gain the experience that my poetry celebrates. I have shared campfires and pack trails with the finest of back-country experts who have guided me to remote places where nature is raw and undisturbed. Warner Koser, Gordon Toole, Geoff Hardy, Chuck Hayward, Warren Webber, and Fred Erler are some of my wilderness mentors. They showed me the way and gave me the confidence to follow my path. I never get tired of another horse trip and I don’t see the end in sight.

I would like to acknowledge Georgina M Smith for the drawing (pg. 30) and Stewart Cameron (1912–1970) for the cartoons (pg. 96, 113, 119 and 164).

My thanks to my friend, counselor, and editor, Betty Lambert, who has had an extensive career in education and even in retirement, she’s able to keep my participles from dangling.

Finally, thank you to my special friend, Martha. In the recent past, I have come to understand a great deal more about the universe, nature, and my thirst to drink in all I can; for now, I have found someone to share it with who can see the magic as I do.

Foreword

Having been a dreamer and an expressionist through different mediums, I have always been inspired by those who can put a pen to paper to express the feelings of their soul and experiences of life, especially a life well-lived. As well as sharing their experiences, they have the ability to ignite the passion within each person who reads it. Bryan James (BJ) Smith is one of those people with whom I have been blessed to share a friendship.

I am a person who allows myself to think outside of the box and express myself through actions and words that inevitably inspire both myself and others. In 2008, acting on an idea, I rode four horses from Ottawa to Calgary to raise money for the Children’s Wish Foundation. Much money was raised and my quest to continue with charity work continued. The following year, I assisted in hosting a C.W.F. charity event featuring cowboy poetry, a dying art, that I felt should be given a lot of recognition. BJ Smith, I was told, was one of the best cowboy poets around. If I could get him, along with a few others, our show would be a great success. BJ graciously offered his time and talents to perform, as did a few other talented poets. The event sold out and was incredibly successful. All who attended were amazed at the talents of the poets, especially BJ Smith.

I was later invited, along with several others, to participate in a five-day trail ride lead by BJ in honor of the Centennial Celebration of the Calgary Stampede in 2012. He demonstrated meticulous preparation for the ride and outstanding ability to guide riders through long days over all types of terrain, from the peacefulness of snow-covered passes to the noise and pavement of city streets leading to the Stampede Grounds. The fact that it was done with safety in mind and an overall commitment to make it a memorable, good experience for all, was admirable. It was a ride that I will never ever forget. Soon thereafter, we found ourselves visiting a few more cowboy poetry events and then more rides in the mountains. I soon