Randi Johnson (Hines) is a cowboy poet. Motivated by a love for history and word play, Johnson set her mind to writing poetry in the 8th grade. Johnson takes a spontaneous approach to poetry, and enjoys sharing the sights and sounds of the Johnson farm through verse.
Bio
With a love for history and word play, Randi Johnson set her mind to writing poetry in the 8th grade. A fan of cowboy poet Baxter Black, poetry has become a way of journaling for Randi. Through the years, she has filled notebook after notebook with her writings. Randi’s approach to poetry is spontaneous. As she works out on the range, she records her thoughts about the things she sees and hears by typing them into her phone. She prefers her poetry to tell a story and to have rhythm, with each thought ending in a rhyme. In Randi’s view, some of her best poetry involves comparing Western cowboys to Greek and medieval heroes. At times, Randi completes a poem in one great burst of creativity while others are finished in longer periods. Her hope is that her poems will be valued and passed on through the generations. Working outdoors is a consciousness-raising experience for Randi and influences all aspects of her poetry. It’s a joy to be out in the “middle of nowhere, challenged to share with others the way something appears or sounds.” Randi's poetry performance video was a top pick in a competition sponsored by Elko's (NV) Western Folklife Center. She has since been invited to attend WFC's annual poetry gathering in 2015.
