Lord, I hate to complain,
But this ranch is needin' rain;
Some comin' day, please find a way
To bring a little rain . . . .

. . . .The road is slick from all this rain,
And ain't it just my luck,
The trailer slid off in the ditch,
And now the pickup's stuck.

I'm glad Ol' Brownie isn't hurt,
I'll have to ride him in.
I left my slicker on the porch,
I'm wet through to the skin.

But I won't cuss the rain,
The valley's green again;
We'll still be here this time next year,
I never cuss the rain.

The rain's been fallin' now, a week,
The brandin's had to wait;
The river's runnin' high and wide,
The spring work's runnin' late.

Our cattle guard is washin' out,
The ranch is mired in mud,
The roof has sprung another leak;
I ponder Noah's flood.

But never cuss the rain,
The tanks are full again,
In tall grass hay, the calves will play,
I'm grateful for the rain.

The storm has moved off toward the east,
A rainbow's in the sky.
There's new snow on the mountain peaks,
The sun is shinin' high.

A warm wind's blowin' 'cross the hills,
The lilacs are in bloom,
The ground is dryin' out real fast,
We'll be a-brandin' soon.

My woman loves the rain,
Our world is new again;
Blessed from above with life and love,
Dear Lord, thanks for the rain.

Don't ever cuss the rain,
The valley's green again;
We'll still be here another year,
Don't ever cuss the rain.


From A Bard in Boots (Arizona Cowboy Connection,
Publishings of Sally Harper Bates, 2022)
Used here with permission.