Cowboy Poets of Utah Honors Colen Sweeten

    The Cowboy Poets of Utah had announced a "Tribute to Cowboy Poetry Week" on April 22, 2006, with dinner and a program, in Payson Utah. The website announced "We're having a Cowboy Poetry / Western Music Get-together Saturday, April 22 at 5 pm at Mi Rancirito's in Payson. Come enjoy food, friends and have a Cowboy Poetry Week Jam Session."

    The heart of that event was a surprise: the honoring of poet Colen Sweeten, and idea conceived by Jerry Brooks (Brooksie) and acted on by the many Cowboy Poets of Utah members and many friends of Colen Sweeten.

    Colen Sweeten has probably already won just about every award given to cowboy poets in Utah or Idaho. Family members collected a few of his more significant plaques, as well as some photos and copies of his book, for a display table at the restaurant. Also on display was a collection of Colen's woodcarvings.

    As guests entered the banquet room, each signed their name to a copy of the Cowboy Poetry Week poster featuring a painting by Joelle Smith and created by cowboypoetry.com . The poster was presented to Colen later in the evening.

    The room was filled with friends and well-wishers there to celebrate Cowboy Poetry Week and Colen Sweeten. As Colen first came in we sang "For he's a jolly good fellow..."  About a dozen of Colen's personal family were in attendance, including Ruthie, Colen's wife of over fifty years.

    Colen was presented with a plaque by the Executive Committee in behalf of the Cowboy Poets of Utah. The plaque reads:

Cowboy Poets of Utah

Pioneer Heritage Award

Presented to

Colen Sweeten

for living the life

dreaming the dreams

and telling the stories of Utah's pioneer cowboys

April 22, 2006

        Colen could have provided all the entertainment for the evening; he kept us rolling in the aisles. One of the highlights was a viewing of the tape for Colen's appearance on Johnny Carson in the early 90's. This was thoughtfully provided by Colen's daughter, and is hilarious!

    There were lots of guests from near and far. Bimbo Chaney came over from Elko, other friends sent greetings either in letter or recorded form. Some of these long-distance contributions were: Doris Daley sent a message via e-mail as did Margo Metegrano, Stephanie Davis sent a CD reminding Colen of their escapades last summer at the Roundup in Sevier County. (If there's anyone out there  who hasn't heard that story, be sure to ask Colen, Stephanie, or any of  the  Utah poets. Lots of fun!) Baxter Black sent  a recorded greeting... The Idaho poets got together and made a group message - as least two dozen individual wishes, or more.

    And there were many others. Rod Miller unearthed some ANCIENT work Colen had done to preserve the burial site for the Shoshone at Bear River (the massacre) and Broodsie had photos and memories from Colen's long -ago visit to Elko (his most recent was this last year.) Michael Martin Murphy went a two page, sincere greeting and friends who were in attendance shared thoughts, music, poems, and hugs.

    We do want to make this an annual event, as part of COWBOY POETRY WEEK each April. Start thinking now about how to make next year's celebration just as wonderful!

Pictures of Cowboy Poetry Week w/ Colen

Pictures of Signing Utah's Cowboy Poetry Week Declaration w/ Gov. Huntsman