A Cowboy’s Christmas Prayer, and the Poetry of S. Omar Barker

Howdy y’all, I’m Chip Schweiger, the Cowboy Accountant, coming to you again from my horse barn to welcome you to another edition of Way Out West with The Cowboy Accountant. 

The podcast that takes you on a journey through the stories of the American West, brings you the very best cowboy wisdom, and celebrates the cowboys and cowgirls who are feeding a nation. 

Imagine The sun has dipped below the horizon, leaving a quiet hush across the plains. 

A crisp winter breeze stirs the grass, and overhead, the stars shine like silver spurs against a velvet sky. 

Somewhere out there, a lone cowboy sits by the glow of a campfire, his horse hobbled nearby. The flames crackle softly, casting flickering shadows as he tips his hat back and gazes into the heavens. 

In that solitude, surrounded by nothing but the wild beauty of the West, he does something unexpected—he prays.

Not with fancy words or a preacher's tone, but with the plain-spoken humility of a man who knows the vastness of the land—and the even greater vastness of grace. 

Tonight, that prayer isn’t just for himself or his horse. Tonight, it’s for something much bigger. 

It’s a Christmas prayer, whispered beneath a canopy of stars, as timeless as the cowboy’s own way of life.

So today on the show, we’re featuring S. Omar Barker, the legendary cowboy poet, and his much-loved masterpiece, A Cowboy’s Christmas Prayer.

This poem has become a holiday staple for cowboys and Western enthusiasts alike. So, saddle up and explore the man behind the words and the meaning behind this iconic prayer this Holiday season.

After the episode check out the show notes at podcast.CowboyAccountant.com. 

[MUSIC]

Hi there, and welcome back. 

Today, we’re diving into the life and legacy of one of the most beloved voices of the American West—S. Omar Barker. Now Before we dive into A Cowboy’s Christmas Prayer, let’s talk a bit about S. Omar Barker. 

If you’ve ever felt the rhythm of cowboy poetry, you’ve likely heard echoes of Barker’s words. His work captures the heart and soul of cowboy life—its humor, grit, and undeniable charm.

Born in 1894 in the rugged hills of New Mexico, Sevigne Omar Barker, or simply S. Omar Barker, grew up steeped in the landscapes that would inspire his poetry. Barker wasn’t just a poet—he was a cowboy, a schoolteacher, a soldier, and a rancher. He lived the life he wrote about, giving his words authenticity and resonance.

Barker’s family were pioneers, and his upbringing on a ranch near Las Vegas, New Mexico, gave him firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of ranch life. 

From early on, he developed a knack for storytelling, often capturing the everyday struggles and humor of cowboy life in his own unique style.

Barker didn’t start his career as a poet. He tried his hand at various jobs—teaching school, serving in World War I, and even dabbling in politics. But it was his love for words that eventually took center stage. His work started appearing in local newspapers and ranch magazines, and before long, he became a household name in the cowboy poetry world.

Barker wrote with a down-to-earth style that made his poetry accessible and relatable. His most famous works, like "A Cowboy’s Prayer," reflect his deep respect for the cowboy way of life, as well as his humor and sense of humility.

But Barker wasn’t all serious. He had a way of weaving humor into his poetry that captured the lighter side of cowboy life. Pieces like "Jack Potter’s Courtin’" tell stories with a wink and a nod, celebrating the colorful characters of the West.

 Barker’s contributions to cowboy culture go beyond his poetry. He was a master storyteller who celebrated the cowboy’s role in shaping the American West. His works helped preserve the traditions and values of a rapidly changing world, ensuring that the stories of the range lived on for future generations.

 In 1964, Barker was named the Poet Laureate of New Mexico, a fitting title for someone who dedicated his life to celebrating the spirit of his home state and the West. Even today, his work continues to inspire cowboy poets and storytellers across the country.

Barker was as humble as the characters he wrote about. Despite his fame, he preferred the simple life, living on his family ranch in New Mexico until his passing in 1985. His writing desk overlooked the hills he loved, a fitting backdrop for a man who spent his life putting the West into words.

Let’s take a quick break and when we come back, we’ll talk about A Cowboy’s Christmas Prayer.

Be right back. 

[BREAK]

Welcome back. 

So this holoiday season I submit to you, A Cowboy’s Christmas prayer. Here we go

I ain’t much good at prayin’, 
and You may not know me, Lord —

For I ain’t much seen in churches, 
where they preach Thy Holy Word.

But you may have observed me out here on the lonely plains,
A-lookin’ after cattle, feelin’ thankful when it rains.

Admirin’ Thy great handiwork. 
The miracle of the grass,

Aware of Thy kind Spirit, in the way it comes to pass

That hired men on horseback and the livestock that we tend
Can look up at the stars at night, and know we’ve got a Friend.

So here’s ol’ Christmas comin’ on, remindin’ us again

Of Him whose coming brought good will 
into the hearts of men.

A cowboy ain’t a preacher, Lord, but if You’ll hear my prayer,

I’ll ask as good as we have got
for all men everywhere.

Don’t let no hearts be bitter, Lord.
Don’t let no child be cold.

Make easy the beds for them that’s sick 
and them that’s weak and old.

Let kindness bless the trail we ride, no matter what we’re after,

And sorter keep us on Your side, in tears as well as laughter.

I’ve seen ol’ cows a-starvin’ — and it ain’t no happy sight;

Please don’t leave no one hungry, Lord, 

on Thy Good Christmas Night —

No man, no child, no woman, 

and no critter on four feet

I’ll do my doggone best to help you 
find ’em chuck to eat.

I’m just a sinful cowpoke, Lord — ain’t got no business prayin’

But still I hope you’ll ketch a word or two, 
of what I’m sayin’:

We speak of Merry Christmas, Lord—
I reckon You’ll agree—

There ain’t no Merry Christmas 
for nobody that ain’t free!

So one thing more I ask You, Lord: just help us what You can

To save some seeds of freedom for the future Sons of Man!

                      —— S. Omar Barker

It’s been written that S. Omar Barker earned more from the publication and uses of his “A Cowboy’s Christmas Prayer” than from any other poem, and I think you can see why.

Barker reminds us of the power of words to capture a way of life. Through his poetry, he preserved the essence of the cowboy—their humor, resilience, and connection to the land. 

If you’ve never read his work, I encourage you to seek it out. Whether you’re a cowboy at heart or just a fan of great storytelling, there’s something in Barker’s poetry for everyone.

Christmas is fast approaching, and for Christians, this is a time for us to celebrate the miracle of birth of a baby Jesus Christ by exchanging the gift of love and spending time with those people who are truly important in our lives.

Even for those of other faiths, Christmas is a time to celebrate peace on Earth as we would want it to be every day. So, to my family and friends here in the US, in Canada, and in all places far and wide, I wish you a Merry Christmas and Joyeux Noël. And, to my friends of any faith (and even those who do not follow a religion), wherever you are on Christmas Day, may peace be with you on this day and throughout the coming year. 

Ok, before we finish up this week, we’ve got one more thing.

[BULL SOUND]

Yep, that distinctive call from Buster the Bull means it’s time for the cowboy glossary term of the week. 

And this week’s term is to “pull a string”. And if you watched the series finale of Yellowstone you may have heard the character Lloyd Pierce, the oldest ranch hand on the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch mention that he was headed up further into Montana to pull a loose string.

In cowboy lingo, what Lloyd, played by actor Forrie J Smith, was trying to say is he was going to gather a group of several horses designated for use by a cowboy.  Each horse has a different athletic ability and disposition.  

A cowboy chooses his mount for the day according to the work to be done that day: corral work, big-circle, gather, etc. 

And by loose he didn’t necessarily mean wild or untamed, just not in regular work.

[OUTRO MUSIC]

So that’s about it for the final episode of 2024 and of Season two. Thank you for riding along today and for this entire year. I can’t tell you how much it means to spend this time with you each week.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and share it with your fellow cowboy poetry fans. And as always, keep your spurs jingling and your words flowing. 

I’ll be back with an all-new episode of season 3 on January 7th, so please enjoy the time with family and friends and until next time amigo, we’ll see ya down the road.