Earlier this year, we helped coordinate a scouting trip to Argentina for a professor at a local college in Denver. The goal of her trip was to develop a new study abroad experience for her students studying tourism. These study abroad trips always have themes that highlight a destination’s local culture. Upon her return, Ms. Sorensen shared this poem with us. Riding alone with Gaucho Mosco was the highlight of her entire trip and the experience inspired her to write this poem. We wanted to share it with our readers.
There I was, just me and Gaucho Mosco
Horse ride on treeless prarie pampa
Rythmic rise and fall of horse breaths
Wind rustling in grass
Birds chirping in the breeze
Mysterious morning mist
Silence, solitude, space
Returning to estancia
Eating empanadas
Asado as Argentina’s pride
Beverages, beef, blood sausage
Gaucho guitar player
Mosco’s mesmerizing music
Cattle, cowboy, cuchillo
Argentina’s gaucho icon
Expert horsemanship
Silver coins on belt
Knife tucked into rear of sash
Bombacha, beef, boleadoras
Hardy, humble, harness silver inlay
Melancholy, meat, mate
Humble gaucho beginnings
Treated as outlaws and criminals
Refusal to conform to rules
Suffers governmental abuse
Unjust recruitment for military service
Military, misfortune, mistakes
Poncho, pride, poverty