# A Cowboy’s Love Song explained — Songs of the Cattle Trail and Cow Camp

> Chapter companion for Songs of the Cattle Trail and Cow Camp by John A. Lomax.

## What happens

A cowboy celebrates the end of roundup season and his freedom to pursue Susie, a waitress he adores. He describes his devotion to her, their Sunday rides, and their shared dreams of a homestead.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Romance

The entire poem is a declaration of love for Susie, using cowboy metaphors like 'roped and tied' and 'branded' to express devotion.

### Freedom and Independence

The narrator celebrates being 'free to roam the prairies' after the roundup, yet willingly surrenders that freedom to pursue Susie.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The cowboy narrator who has finished the roundup and is free to court Susie.

### Susie

The waitress at the station, referred to as 'Biscuit-shootin' Susie' and the object of the narrator's affection.

## Key lines

> Oh, the last steer has been branded / And the last beef has been shipped, / And I’m free to roam the prairies / That the round-up crew has stripped;

The cattle work is done, and now I have time to wander and think about Susie.

_Sets the scene of seasonal freedom after the roundup._

> Biscuit-shootin’ Susie⁠— / She’s got us roped and tied; / Sober men or woozy / Look on her with pride.

Susie, the waitress, has captivated everyone, whether they are sober or drunk.

_Highlights Susie's universal appeal and the narrator's admiration._

> I’m wearin’ Cupid’s hobbles, / An’ I’m tied to Love’s stake-pin, / And when my heart was branded / The irons sunk deep in.

I am completely bound by love, as if my heart has been permanently marked like a steer.

_Uses branding imagery to convey deep, irreversible romantic commitment._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters/a-cowboy-s-love-song
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/songs_of_the_cattle_trail_and_cow_camp_se/chapters