Lyle and Hawkeye

Rod and his brother Lyle feeding cattle.

After preg-testing
while the crew
puts the heifers back
Lyle speaks quietly
to Dr. Boyd,
they ride home early.

Hauling our horses home
we meet Lyle
leading Hawkeye
both with bad knees
hobbling along
slowly.
The ultimate compliment
perhaps
leading an old crippled
saddle horse
to the bone pile
on foot.

I took my hat off for Hawkeye.
There were no words.
Lyle didn't look up.

The next afternoon
about five o'clock
after shoeing
Lloyd and Mr. Powell,
putting away my
shoeing tools,
stable jack,
I could hear
the red loader tractor
on the hill
behind the dump.

Lyle never said a word,
that's not his way.
But it occurred to me
digging one grave
with a loader
on a smooth and rockless
hillside
took Lyle
all afternoon.