From City Slicker to Cowboy Poet
BY DEL NORDBY
I had no idea cowboy poetry even existed, but in 2025, my wife Robyn and I were invited to attend the 40th Anniversary of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (NCPG) in Elko. It sounded interesting, so we decided to attend.
While there, I had the privilege of meeting renowned cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell and I listened to such poets as Jake Riley and Andy Hedges, plus musicians like Wylie Gustafson. I hadn’t heard of these folks before, but their talent, authenticity, and storytelling deeply inspired me. So much so that for the first time in my life, I wrote a few poems of my own. They were based on experiences from my childhood—some humorous, some more difficult. The poets I heard in Elko gave me the courage to put my memories into words.
Not only had I never written a poem, but I had also never performed on stage. Still, I decided to take a leap: I would write a poem, memorize it, and sign up for the one of the open-mic events the following year.
Signing up for the open mic was a bit of a challenge. Although open mics happen throughout NCPG, they’re also super popular. When I logged onto the website the morning sign-ups opened, there were only a few spots left. But I found a time slot, and now all I had to do was write and practice.
