Alberta Cowboy Poetry Association
Presents a
Spring Tea & Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Alcoma School Rainier Outreach
April 3 2009
Rainier Alberta
Report by Buddy Gale, Cowboy Poet & Songwriter
with Alison Demeter, Singer

ACPA members Buddy Gale & Alison Demeter headed for Rainer, Alberta, about 25 miles south of Brooks on highway 36, to a school called Alcoma.  The origin of the name, they say, is that the original early settlers were from the Tacoma, Washington area, so they inserted "Al" for Alberta! There was so much fog from Calgary to Bassano, we couldn't even find our fingers in the fog, but arrived about 10:30 am greeted by an eager bunch with lots of plans for us! As it turned out, 18 young people had poems they had written and memorized for the occasion. I was ushered into the grade 5-6 room to explain a few things - like "Where does cowboy poetry come from?" and more questions about cowboys. One little lady wanted me to perform a new poem that I was to compose right on the spot,which I did, in a four-line verse. Later, at home, I extended those lines and did another poem in rhyme regarding where they come from and mailed them back to the students.

At the same session, they wanted to hear Alison sing, so she was captured from somewhere with her guitar. She told them she had a new song and a surprise for Buddy. It was an extremely pleasant surprise, as she had put music to a poem called "Cowboy Sunrise" that I had won a contest with at the 1992 Edmonton Northlands Rodeo.The music was very western. The rearrangement was excellent, plus her range and voice is right on!

At noon, parents, teachers and friends arrived at the Alcoma School Spring Tea & Cowboy Poetry. I counted about sixty in attendance, along with our students. Eighteen student poets recited on stage with us, six in each set, interspersed with song and poetry sets performed by Alison Demeter and myself. They sang songs with Alison leading them. It seems they all enjoyed it, judging by the handshakes. The parents thought it was great. We handed out posters on Trail's End 2009 in Cochrane for September, some copies of our Barbwire Dispatch newsletter, and membership application forms and invites to all of the young poets to join the ACPA.

Buddy Gale, Cowboy Poet & Songwriter