The horse is God's gift to mankind.  ~Arabian Proverb

About Donna Penley

Donna Penley is a Cowgirl Poet with deep Kansas roots who has been writing cowboy poetry for over twenty five years. She is a real Cowgirl and an ex-barrel racer.

Donna writes about all phases of cowboy life, with lots of humor woven in. Her poem Carrie Nation hangs in the Carrie Nation Museum in Medicine Lodge, Kansas.

As a benefit for the blind and sight impaired, Great Empire Broadcasting produced a cassette tape of her poetry and distributed it to all Kansas public libraries, (No Preservatives Added : a collection of cowboy poetry).

Donna has several books of poetry, and one of her latest poems is based on her  work with special needs children, giving them therapy through horses. An autistic child, who had never spoken, sang "I'm An Old Cowhand" when placed on a horse! Donna's poem about this little girl tugs at the heartstrings.
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Donna and her beloved horses live in Haysville, Kansas.

ALICE SINGS!
By Donna Penley

There aren’t many things in this old world that make my heart take wing;
But it does when a little girl named Alice decides to sing.

Oh, she isn’t a tutored singer, and most times she sings off-key,
But when that little blue-eyed blond sings, it means the world to me!!

She comes to me in a yellow bus, with mute kids just like she;
Their thoughts have all turned inward.  No words to set them free.

I lead the horse, reins in my hand, another coach walks by her side --
And Alice sits up straight, throws her head back and opens her mouth wide
AND ALICE SINGS

One day the other coach named Bob asked, “What’s she singin’?  I don’t understand.            ”
I said, “Listen very carefully, it’s ‘I’m An Old Cowhand’.”

Now, how did that child learn that song when she doesn’t speak a thing?
I don’t know -- but she did it.  And, it makes all my work worthwhile --
WHEN LITTLE ALICE SINGS!

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