She Speaks to Me: Western Women's View of the West through Poetry and Song [Paperback]

This anthology of Cowgirl poets, and edited by Jill Charlotte Stanford (The Cowgirl's Cookbook, Keep Cookin' Cowgirl) features the words of a wide range of Western women poets chosen for this collection by real ranching women and cowgirls across the West as the poets whose words most speak to them and the Western experience.In this collection are the poems of cowgirl poets who are regulars at the numerous state, local, and national cowboy poetry gatherings that happen throughout the year. There are a few songwriters as wellafter all, their songs are simply poetry set to music. Some of the poets have never been published and were shy about being included?but the true poet is always, just under the surface, eager to have her voice heard. Why else would she go to the trouble? The poets and songwriters featured here were quick to respond?to the invitation to be included. In true Western fashion, they saddled their fast ponies and galloped in with their poetry and lyrics for your enjoyment.Gifted photographer Robin L. Green chose the captivating?photographs to accompany these lovely verses and songs. She captures the stark, lush, brutal, gentle and ever-changing western landscape and the creatures that inhabit it (including intrepid humans) in all sorts of weatherharsh or gentlelike no other.Jill Charlotte Stanford considers herself the luckiest person in the world. Growing up admiring from afar in the fifth row of the darkened Princess Theater in Edmonds, Washington, a box of Malt Balls slowly melting in her hot little fist, cowgirls like Dale Evans and others certainly shaped her dreams and her future. She never dreamed, then, that she would grow up and someday meet and write about real cowgirls. From her first book to this one, her circle has grown to include ranchers, trick riders, horse trainers and breeders and now, poets and songwriters that write of the West. They have all proven to be women of resourcefulness, courage, humility, great humor and a generousl%