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THE DAY THE RENDEVOUS TWISTER BLEW - Diana Walter

Went campin’ with some horse folk at the Wyoming Rendezvous

Had settled in a meadow with a Sunlight Basin view 

 

All around were trailers, gear and hay

With the horses safely sheltered - the portable way

 

We had gathered neath a canopy with the Teton backcountry crew

And were telling tall tales of the trail and drinking a beer or two. 

 

When along came a cloud, seemed kind of small at first 

That dumped rain and thundered loud while we hunkered dry from the outburst

 

Suddenly  it all went to hell as Kathy cried out “wind “

we watched from the mountain gully as a twister did descend 

 

It whipped an awning from a camper and sent it into a truck

breaking windows, mirror, lights Then picked our canopy up

 

Soon most canvases In camp flew up and up and up

Then crashed back down to the ground, a pile of twisted junk

 

The wind thundered throwing coolers, chips and cables

Then picked up two camp chairs with Paula in between  and rolled her under a table 

 

It  pulled Ron’s cap right  off his head and tossed it high away

Al’ s straw hat and a brown felt one disappeared into the gale

 

Then  the twister whipped towards Janet’s tent with 100 pounds inside 

And threw it  plum out of camp and clean out of sight 

 

Don lost his tent completely, it smashed it like a fly

Pat and Diana looked on dismayed at the mess it left behind. 

 

In the aftermath as we reviewed the  damage of the twisters  dirty deed

one hero stood out in the carnage, a trusty mustang steed 

 

Harpel’s horse Arrow Had been on a high line tied

when a canopy flew toward him and wrapped around the line

 

And as the twister gave its worst Arrow stood still, brave and true

His mustang blood faced the fury Like the  best mounted  horses do.   

 

As we gathered for supper that evenin  and shared our disaster stories

It soon became apparent how grateful we should be that none of them were gory 

 

For though the furies did their best to give us a wild ride 

Every cowboy and cowgirl rode the wind as it bucked and twisted high 

 

So if your ever  out ridin’ on Windy Mountain Trail  and find a hat or two 

Then you’ll know tail of  that fateful day the Rendezvous Twister Blew 

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