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Badger Clark (1883–1957), South Dakota’s first poet laureate, is best known for his “A Cowboy’s Prayer,” erroneously attributed to “Anonymous” and a mainstay at rodeos across the United States. After spending much of his childhood in Deadwood, South Dakota, Badger escaped a harrowing experience in Cuba and then found his vocation as a cowboy and a poet in Arizona.
Author Nancy Bo Flood describes Badger’s poetry as “Shakespeare meets Walt Whitman during a cattle drive.” He had a way of expressing that smooth, rolling, clip-clop rhythm of horse and rider, and his legacy as a bard of the American West endures. For over one hundred years, Badger Clark’s poems have been sung and celebrated at poetry gatherings, rodeos, and many a cowboy’s final farewell. His plain and simple verses spoke of his love for the land and a deep appreciation for a life lived close to nature. Badger Clark: Poetry Wrangler tells the story of this iconic Western writer and celebrates his enduring poetry.
Reviews
“[Badger Clark: Poetry Wrangler] is a non-fiction biography that uses Nancy’s great storytelling abilities and beautiful language to draw readers in and keep them engaged. Badger Clark was an interesting character with an unorthodox path to poetry. This is a perfect book for younger middle-grade readers and anyone with an interest in poetry.” — Rosi Hollinbeck Blog (Nov. 2025)
“[Badger Clark: Poetry Wrangler] is a book suffused with beauty. From the weight and finish of the paper, to the gentle words that relate his true story, to the awe-inspiring illustrations, to the chronology and bibliography in the back matter, I keep returning to the beginning to read it once again. I don't want to miss anything.” — Vicki Palmquist, Reading Ahead Substack (Oct. 2025)
“I was immediately drawn to this picture book biography as someone who believes in the joy and appreciation of the outdoors. As a pinto horse-rider, poet, and picture book writer myself, I believe this book is one that all horse and poetry lovers must read. Flood includes snippets of poetry from Clark and prose of her own, emphasizing the importance of showing respect for the land and “. . . to live the ideals of our democracy.” “A Cowboy's Prayer” gets the book a blazin' and a ridin'. Don't miss this special book.” — Amazon reviewer