Are herding a dozen or so cows
Up and across a country road.
The woman in the middle is driving
The cows with her voice—Ok, ladies!
Let’s go! Hup! Hup! Haaa!
In this historical moment, it’s almost
Impossible not to contemplate gender
While waiting for the way to clear.
Ladies? One of the flanking horsewomen
Waves a couple of tourist rental vehicles
Around on a shoulder of the road.
The tourists sheepishly oblige, steering
Carefully over a bit of gravel, eyeing
The cattle nervously, snapping pics.
The horsewomen are ranchers. The cows,
Their ladies, are not milk cows, but beef.
They’re being driven to spring pastures.
It’s a mighty small herd. Stragglers?
Latecomers to the cows up the road
Already dispersed on free-range mesas?
Are these women related to each other?
Seems likely. The way clears in a cloud.
The horses seem resigned to their work.
There are other things to think about,
Driving on. The meat industry. Cattle
On public lands. Ranch families. Drive.
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