An award-winning poet, top-selling author, and sought after public speaker, Don Bendell, shares with us some of his personal, motivational, humorous, romantic, and western-oriented poetry in a sensitive book dedicated to his six children. To give a sample of his poetic talents,

we give you two samples Below:

The patriotic poem FREEDOM HAS A PRICE has been reprinted in military publications and has gotten Don standing ovations all over the country, especially when he addresses veteran’s groups.
Not only does the poem evoke emotions, it raises your blood pressure, happily, when Don lays it on the line about his hard stand concerning people attempting to burn the American flag.

The other sample poem on this page, HAWK, has brought many people to tears. Inspired by a true story and named after his former once-in-a-lifetime big Appaloosa horse Hawk, the poem clearly shows the bond between cowboy and horse when Bendell recounts the time, he; severely injured, had to tie himself in the saddle, and asked Hawk to take him home through a raging February blizzard way up high in the rugged Sangre de Cristo mountains. Share the obvious love between a cowboy and his mount and the horse’s willingness to lay his own life on the line in order to save his master.
 

In younger days, of jingo mind,
I said, "I'll go and fight;"
But in those times, I was to find
A change in FREEDOM's might.

O'Hare had made us change our ways,
A squeaking wheel so loud;
A change supported by a few
Instead of by the crowd.

I went to fight, for I believed
That FREEDOM has a price.
We lost that war, and how I've grieved;
We were made to feel like mice.

Some spit on us and burned their cards,
Said, "Hell with men like you!"
With hearts in broken fractured shards,
We fought for those folks, too.

I watched them burn my flag and cried
And fought to not feel hate
And saw our wavering national pride
Go down in Watergate.

And now the big Court's said to them,
"Go burn it, for you're free."
But I have words for all those men:
"Don't try in front of me!"

That flag was bought with many lives.
I watched them burn it then
And saw those grieving kids and wives;
Don't light that flame again.

For this time, I will not be stilled
And watch you desecrate
My God or flag, for which I've killed;
A country that's so great.

For FREEDOM really isn't free;
So many paid the price.
You burned our flag in front of me,

BUT YOU WILL NOT DO IT TWICE!

Don in the Rex Allen Museum, Willcox, Arizona (2000)

Hawks air-spring muscles helped him glide
So swiftly down the mountainside
With sinew-bulging spotted rump
He vaulted o'er a rocky hump

Descendant of Chief Joseph's herd,
Hawk's canter was like flying-bird.
Swollen streams couldn't break his stride.
His head held high with Nez Perce pride.

I rode that steed with fleeting speed,
His strong legs breaking through high weed.
Hailstones spattered, horseshoes clattered,
And a flock of sage grouse scattered.

On shale slide Hawk, tripped and stumbled.
Down the slope we flipped and tumbled.
Then snowflakes started swirling down,
As I lay hurt on rocky ground.

I was dazed, my body aching,
Dizzy, sore, and both legs shaking.
We both felt pain from heads to toes.
Yet hurt, Hawk raised me with his nose.

I wrapped my wounds and mounting, moaned,
Said, "Come on Hawk, you take us home."
Around his neck, my arms were tied.
He started down the mountainside.

I dreamed of being safe and warm,
As Hawk plowed through that raging storm.
And somewhere on that awful trek,
I slumped across that great arched neck.

Then thoughts came flooding in my head.
My wife sat crying on my bed.
I won't forget those words she said,
"He brought you home, -but Hawk is dead."

"For three full days you've been asleep.
The snow outside is five feet deep.
Once you were home and safe and sound
Hawk whinnied once, then dead, fell down."

She said, "He brought you here on will
And fell while coming down that hill.
His legs were gone, but he still came,
And when he stopped, you breathed his name."

"Oh no! My God, it just can't be!"
The screams were coming out of me,
"Oh, please don't tell me Hawk has died!"
Then my wife held me while I cried.

I know he wasn't man, of course,
But just a big old spotted horse.
So tell me, should I miss him so?

A friend who took me through the snow.

If you wish to purchase POEMS OF THE WARRIOR for $ 13 plus five dollars shipping and handling($18), If, however, you would like to have Don personalize the book to you and autograph it, just add five dollars to the price ($23) and
click here to order.