Red Steagall is a Texan Cowboy by heart. He is already accustomed to the intricacies of writing poetry as he has written song previously, which is in itself a form of poetry. He was won many awards for his music, and also recipient of award for his good deeds for the pubic and helping out the land. 

“Was not my cup of tea” is an idiom, the poet talks about how he doesn't like living in the cotton farm hence he said “an eighty-acre cotton farm was not my cup of tea” the poet expresses his dislike of working in a cotton farm he would much rather be free and working cattle. The poet shows gratitude to his parents for teaching him life lessons,making life easier for him, and giving him everything he ever needed in other words helping him grow into a good man, the poet expresses this with an idiom by saying “To make sure I had all the tools So i could make a dent.”

The diction in this poem was mainly country slang for example when he says “when i was ‘bout half grown.” The rhyme scheme was ABCB all throughout the poem. The poet repeats the words “ironclad set of rules” to emphasize that his dad was strict and that he had responsibilities around his home, the poet repeats the word “dusty” many times to emphasize that his home was “dusty” and that he would rather not live there, in my opinion he is slightly degrading his home by calling it “dusty.” The tone in the poem is grateful and nostalgic, he is grateful that his parents taught him responsibility but he is also nostalgic because he realized that he misses the love and time his parents and him spent together. 

What stood out the most to me is how he was ready to move out but then he realized that he misses his parents, I can relate to this because sometimes I want to leave and move out my house because of my parents strictness, but then I think and realize that my parents are only being strict because they love me and they are trying to teach me responsibility, then I start to think about how when I move out I will have to pay many bills, then I realize that I should be grateful that I have my family and a roof over my head. 

A metaphor used in this poem would be ¨his handshake and word are his bond¨ implying that he forms connections with others with his honesty and friendship with honor.

The rhyme scheme of the poem was ABCB. There isn't any repetition in the poem but the poem's structure is put together well hence the poem is put in three stanzas, in the first stanza he talks about how the cowboy is not in his prime anymore but the other 2 stanzas prove and give examples of how the cowboy is indeed still in his prime. 
What stood out to me the most is the last line “And his handshake and words are his bond.” This specific line stood out to me because keeping your word or promise is a very honorable thing to do, personally in my family keeping your word by a handshake is very honorable and respectful. 

Despite the poems short length there is some powerful similes within the stanzas. Firstly it talks, the poem displays a picture of the boy’s young life, being quite normal “Had a proper church upbringing,” and displaying he had a good relation ship with his family via metaphor, “Family, Solid as a rock.” The poem shows the turning point for the boy, “But somewhere the boy got twisted, heard the painted sirens song”. Not only this Steagall shows that the boys life was wasted quite blatantly saying, “What a loss of time and talent (...) Seems the fruits of life are wasted.”

The poems rhyme scheme for the stanza’s follow an ABCB rhyming the second lines of the stanza’s. Something unique about this poem is that nearly every line has exactly seven syllables. The structure of the poem is quite tiny and compact, which gives the poem a  clean feel being able to share its message quite easily. The diction of the poem seems to be a sorrowful vindictiveness, as if what is being done in the poem is being done out of necessity and not spite or done with mal intent. 

 What stood out to me mostly is the sorrow displayed in the poem. From describing the boy’s background to where he went wrong. From implying the boy could have been a good person, and the sorrow the mother will have not being able to be with her child again as he will soon be killed.