STABLE BOY

He stumbled up the rock slope
to find the bearded man,
a six gun waiting at the ready,
the bastard’s flesh to brand.
A rock came loose,
his foe came round,
a stray bullet
struck in the ground,
he could not believe his good luck,
his vengeance was at hand.

The race was on around the ridge,
he chased that rustler scum,
until atop a stony knoll
he aimed his heavy gun:
The shot rang out,
the foe went down
the echo washed
over the town.
He stood over the silent corpse
tired, raw, and stunned.

He trudged his way back to the town,
finding faces froze in shock.
The thought that he might win the day
their minds had wholly blocked.
He gave a shrug
and walked on by,
to Red’s Saloon
and Lorelei,
he cared not what her job might be
he’d ask her, ready or not.

She saw him coming down the hall,
and wept there at his feet.
Then led him back into her room
for things I can’t repeat...
The stable boy
his pa avenged,
when none would step
up to defend,
and claimed a wife all on that day,
fellows, that’s no mean feat.