I wouldn’t write at
all if it weren’t for myriad writers before me whose works showed me what was
possible. The poems of this series are small offerings of respect, of thanks,
to those muses. – Brian Beatty
James Tate
The cowboy atop his horse
could see as far as Ohio.
He grinned his gold hip-hop smile.
He didn’t miss the gunfights
or the range for that matter.
He’d also given up branding.
His herds were identified
in the streets of Indianapolis
by their pastel ribbons and bows.
– Brian Beatty
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Brian's most recent collections of poetry are Dust and Stars: Miniatures and Brazil, Indiana. Don't miss Brian's columns on the great poets: insert your email address in the "Follow By Email" box to the right of this article and you'll be notified every time a new article appears.
James Tate's poems taught me that humor was possible in serious poetry. His work also demonstrated how to grow a vision of the world.
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