Satisfied

The old cowboy lay dying
Out on the grassy knoll.
A rank ol colt had piled him up
And the years had taken their toll.

His face was weathered and wrinkled.
Carved out by wind and rain.
But in his hollowed eyes there was wisdom
That comes from knowin' the pain.

His hands were large and calloused.
Made strong from sweat and toil.
But they also had a gentleness
From workin' close to the soil.

As the old man laid there dyin'
He thought about his life.
About the things that he had seen
And he thought about his wife.

A sweeter gal you'd never know.
But she had passed on years before.
And now he knew the time was near
When he's be with her once more.

He thought of places he'd been
And people he had know.
About the old friends long since gone
Who were comin to take him home.

He remembered all the horses.
The bad ones that he'd rode.
And reminisced about his younger days
And the wild oats he'd sowed.

He thought of all the things he'd done
And the mistakes that he had made.
About the time that he'd got caught
And the price that he had paid.

But he always thought he was privileged
To have worked with God's creations.
The horses, the cows, the grass stirrup high
There's no nobler occupation.

And this cowboy felt kinda lucky
To be passin' on this way.
Out here in the open, with the wind blowin' free
Where it's peaceful and quiet all day.

He had lived his life to it's fullest.
And done what he wanted to do.
He had lived out his life as a cowboy.
A dream that for him had come true.

With one final sigh and no regrets
The old grey cowboy died.
But there was a smile upon his face
Cause he passed on satisfied.