Ode To The Bold
I stand in a wide flat land.
No shadow or shade about.
Yeagger is the kind of man
who will kill you without a doubt.
He’s after me, but I got away.
He’s been tracking me for a month.
I don’t even know the time of day.
I just keep moving. Avoid the hunt.
I was in town for a little fun.
I didn’t know Collette was his girl.
Since he caught us, I’ve been on the run.
But, she really gave my heart a whirl.
I got to get back to my Collette.
Though, Yeagger may gun me down.
He’ll never let me forget.
I never should of gone into that town.
I hear a horse way off in the distance.
I can just make out a horse & rider.
Yeagger is very persistent.
There is no place to hide here.
As I run, I spot a small gully.
I dive in & try to dig deeper.
After a time, he comes riding slowly.
I have one shot. I’ll be the reaper.
I blew him off his horse.
He hit the ground.
I buried him in the gully.
In the hopes he’ll never be found.
I ride into town searching for Collette.
I find her in the local saloon.
I am hoping that she didn’t forget.
She rushes into my arms & swoons.
“I was so worried. but, where is Yeagger.”
I tell her all as she turns white.
“He was my older brother:—- Yeagger.”
I listen & my heart drops out of sight.
“Why didn’t you tell me ?” I said with shock.
“I thought you knew” she said in tears.
So ends the tale of me & Collette.
I never saw her again.
But, on this you can bet.
Her hand, I could never win.—————–R.W. Johnson—–(2011)