by Jonathan Odermann
Photo by Jonathan Odermann
"Am I crazy?" I often ask myself this question as I examine my own stream of consciousness, diving deep into my thoughts searching for pearls. The truth is I might be.
I can spontaneously imagine a conversation with any of the critters on the ranch as I make my rounds. Their body language and actions cue the start and end of our discussions.
As I walk, I wonder, has anyone else had the same thoughts as me? Are these conversations real, or have I been living in isolation so long I’ve become a castaway on my own deserted island?
I imagine many things that happen here are completely foreign to those who haven’t grown up so far from civilization. Most of the joys are fleeting and steadily encroached upon by seemingly endless battles for survival. Each new traumatic experience wears away at my humanity, blurring lines and leaving scars.
“For my humanity I turn to cowboy poetry.”
How much more callous will I become? How will I retain my humanity? As for the callousness I can not say, but for my humanity I turn to cowboy poetry.
I believe that cowboy poetry is much more than a form of entertainment. I’ve seen and experienced firsthand the healing that happens from listening, writing, reciting, and "being heard." It has the power to change lives.
Each poem shared is like a message in a bottle tossed into the ocean. One cannot guess how far it will travel, or whom the message will reach. Ripples from its landing stir emotions that ebb and flow like waves through the audience, lapping and crashing against the stage, culminating in tears or laughter. The echoes reinforce the notion that the bottle has reached the sea, and often that knowledge is enough.
Having cast my own bottles into the sea, I can say positively that listening with the intent to understand is one of the greatest forms of love people can share with one another. Joining the audience immerses one into the energy of the crowd, collectively synchronizing living vibrations and restoring interpersonal connections.
Poet Olivia Romo (left) and Jonathan Odermann (right) at the 39th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Photo by Jessica Brandi Lifland
“The more we uncover, the more we realize that we share the same island, and it is more connected than we imagined.”
As we listen and absorb the message of the spoken word, we find parallels in our own lives and uncover meaning that we may not have been able to express on our own. Each discovery feels like finding a pearl on our own island. The more we uncover, the more we realize that we share the same island, and it is more connected than we imagined.
The whole experience dissolves the feelings of loneliness and isolation, refreshing the spirit and unlocking the potential for personal growth. Few things today can do a person as much good. Each time I witness the living advancement of the spoken word, I leave inspired and grateful for having undertaken the journey.
“In Elko”
There is an energy in this place
You can feel it through and through
And your heart starts to race
As the moment is made new.
A smile spreads across your face
As the anticipation grows
With the knowledge that these words
Will give respite from your woes
Lifting spirits like soaring birds
Rising up so high above
Gathering everyone together
And gifting them such love
To be shared with one another
Leaving each of us aglow
And holding onto that feeling,
The feeling, of being, in Elko.
-Jonathan Odermann
Photo by Marie Odermann
Jonathan Odermann engineers poetry, and uncovers the humanity beneath the calluses, from the family ranch in Medora, North Dakota. Assisted by the creatures that surround him day-to-day, he cultivates reflections that nurture growth of both the personal and agricultural varieties.
Jonathan extends his gratitude to Marie Odermann, Betty Lynne McCarthy, and the Western Folklife Center staff for their assistance during the final publication of this essay.
