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Cowboy Crooning

Courtesy of Hungry Horse News

by Heidi Desch

Students were cowboy poets in-training last week at Canyon Elementary School.

TJ Casey, cowboy poet, singer and songwriter, visited classes at Canyon and School District 6 to teach them about poetry.

Casey stood in front of Josie Brown's fifth grade class complete with black cowboy hat, jeans, and guitar in hand.  He read some

of his poems and also sang for the students.

He told students his poetry and songs are based on his life.

"Most everything I write is true and about me," he said. "Three-fourths of my life has been in the saddle working."

Casey travels throughout Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Alaska teaching the basics of cowboy poetry and singing his songs.

Last week he was in Columbia Falls and Whitefish as part of the Gatherin' at the Grouse, Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

He has been writing poetry and playing music for over 30 years.  His song "It's In My Blood" was recently nominated for a Native

American Grammy Award and he has published poetry books.

Casey told students that cowboy poetry is writing about nature and the things they know.

"You're in the most beautiful country," he told them.  "All you need is a piece of paper, pencil and your mind."

He gave them a quick demonstration of the way poetry should look.  Telling them to write in the traditional style of poetry so that

the second and third lines rhyme.

"You're telling me a story in poetry," he said.  "Write about fuzzy lizards or armpit hairs on a stink bug--it can be about anything."

Students took his instructions to heart and wrote about mountains, trees, grizzly bears and deer stuck in trees.

Some were quick to find inspiration, but others had a tougher time.

"I can't think of anything," said one student.

"You'll be fine. Think about what's in your heart," said Casey.

Casey used humor to encourage the students throughout the process.

"By the time we're through you will all have written some nice poetry that can be my next hit," he jokingly told students.

As if that wasn't enough incentive, Casey also picked the best poems from the classes to post on his Web site at www.tjcasey.net.