Collection of poems was chosen from 10,000 gathered From Cowboy Reciters, Ranch Poets and from a library of over 200 published works of cowboy verse. One-third of the poems are classics that have proven their vitality by having lived in the hearts and minds of cowboys and ranchers for decades. The rest are newer, written within the last 15 years.
reviewed:"A broad-based collection of the best in the genre... As someone who became interested in cowboy poetry in only the last few years, I've found this collection to contain some of the best authors, both old and new. The old cowboy poetry always rhymed, and often had the cadence you feel while horseback, chasing a herd of cows. It was politically conservative, simple, and often written in a wistful style that recognized the changing nature of the American West. This collection does the genre proud. Its list of authors provides a starting point for further excursions in this art form."
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We lift our lariats and salute twenty years of poetry sharing at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada. Reflective and rascally, tough and fresh, clever and insightful, this book holds the history, the heritage, and the future of the vibrant voices of the West. This anthology comprises some of the best of traditional cowboy poetry predating the present cowboy poetry revival, as well as work created since 1985. It is a great retrospective, giving us a sense of where we have been and where we are going, as well as a fitting tribute to the men and women whose words reflect an authentic American West.
reviewed:"A pure joy to read... Contained between the book's two covers are some of the most eloquent, emotional, humorous poems you'd care to read. Ranchers and cowboys (and cowgirls) write with an honesty and straightforwardness that's hard to resist. The book is divided in six sections: Hosses, Jest fer the Fun of It, Reflections of a Lifestyle, Family & the Community of Cowboys, Lookin' Back Down the Trail, and Characters. I cried real tears over some, and laughed out loud over others."
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For years, Cowboy Poetry has been seen by readers of mainstream American poetry as a marginal art. Cowboy Poetry Matters is the first book of its kind to dispel this idea by creating a dialogue between contemporary mainstream poets and traditional Cowboy poets. Spurred by Dana Gioia's essay, "Can Poetry Matter?," Paul Zarzyski responds with "The Lariati Versus/Verses the Literati: Loping Towards Dana Gioia's Dream Come Real," a compelling essay in which an historical bridge is built between the urban contemporary canon and the rural pasture land. Cowboy Poetry Matters brings together the work of poets whose common ground is their love of horses and their dedication to their own style of "cowboying."

reviewed:"The best anthology of cowboy poetry available today... If this is not the first, it is undoubtedly the best, anthology of cowboy poetry available today. For many years I thought cowboy poetry was kind of, well, you know, cowboyish. That is, it was kind of cute in a nursery rhyme sort of way but was not really relevant when you compared it to real poetry. Fortunately, I was privideged to live in the west for four years and was introduced to some of the best poetry I have ever read. It was called, well, cowboy poetry! Not only was it as well written as any so-called mainstream poetry but it has a way of speaking to the reader that will forever change the way you view cowboy poetry. Thus, it was with great interest that I read Cowboy Poetry Matters. The book brings together some of the best and brightest cowboy poets writing today, most notably Linda Hussa, Linda Hasselstrom, and Laurie Buyer and places their work along side such well known mainstream poets as Donald Hall and Maxine Kumin. The result is a remarkable collection of poetry by diverse poets that discover they share a lot of common ground and that cowboy poetry can be, and is, as relevant and diverse as the poets."
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The Honorable Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor: "The Big Roundup is a fine collection of cowboy poetry -- old and new."

Don Edwards, America's favorite Cowboy singer: "An entertaining and heartwarming collection of modern and classic Cowboy Poetry. A wonderful treasury, including many of my favorites."
reviewed:"A grand and impressive collection of verse... a grand and impressive collection of verse about the Old West. Single-paragraph biographies of the many and varied poets help flesh out this flavorful, soul-stirring collection of verse that speaks to the heart. The Big Roundup is an excellent gift idea for anyone who enjoys poetry about the American West, and a highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library poetry collections and reading lists. "
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(From the first page:) When Charles Badger Clark, an Iowan-South Dakotan living temporarily in southern Arizona, invented "The Legend of Boastful Bill" in 1907, he managed to synthesize half a dozen traditional themes that had long animated the home-grown poetry of those who spent their working lives with cattle and horses in the American West.
reviewed:"A book for true lovers of cowbay poetry... All I can say is that I loved the collection of poetry and information. This is true Americana and should be required in our schools. Good Job! "
List price: $21.95; Buy it for about: $15.00