Letter: Montana Love

Montana love

How I love my Montanan magazine! It always touches my heart.

I found this poem and thought you might like to share it. It touched my heart also.

Keep up your exceptional work! 

Helen A. Ray

Spokane Valley, WA

Mother of Montana

She came west in a wagon, her man by her side, Children in the back, she was destiny’s bride.

She came up the Missouri on a steamer belching black, She set foot in Fort Benton, and she never looked back.

She came out on the railway to Billings—the end of the line, With a big black trunk from Pittsburgh, full of china and linens so fine!

She’s the Mother of Montana, she tamed the Big Sky, With a Bible and a needle, and a twinkle in her eye.

She married the miner, they struggled together. She married the logger, his hands worn like leather.

She married the stockman, the cowboy, the preacher, While she nursed the sick and was forever the teacher.

She helped to build the cabin and the fence and the barn. She made the soap and candles, and carded out the yarn.

She helped with the calving, the lambing and haying, There was laughter and loving, weeping and praying.

She’s the Mother of Montana, she tamed the Big Sky, With some seeds and a teapot, and a tear in her eye.

She came to tame Montana, to make a spot her own, She came to tame Montana, make her life and make a home!

—By Karen Kuhlmann, dedicated to all women who came West

The Montanan would like to thank the following readers for recently donating to the magazine:  Michael J. Farmer, Burt Ballentine, Alvin Ludwig, Robert Burns, Suelynn Williams, Karen Barber, Beverly Brumbaugh,  William J. Ellison, Mark Bellis, Katherine Redekopp, and Gayle Fuetsch.

Wanted: Your Opinions

The Montanan welcomes letters to the editor. Please sign and include your graduating year or years of attendance, home address, and phone number or e-mail address.

Send them to:  Montanan Editor,  325 Brantly Hall,  Missoula, MT 59812 or themontanan@umontana.edu. 

Because of space limitations, we are not able to include all letters sent to us. Letters may be edited for length or clarity. While universities are places of discussion where people do not always agree, letters deemed potentially libelous or that malign a person or group will not be published. Opinions expressed in the Montanan do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Montana.