CHIRICAHUA COWBOY
Brooks Bradbury
1 September 2013
the cook reported longhorns
was coming in the gate
some buckaroos at breakfast
some were in the bunk house
they was sleepin’ late
prit’ near eight mean corriente
ambled up the old dirt road
pointy horns a glinting
they lumber to and fro
they were free-range beef with attitude
and in one-by-one they filed
somehow they got past the cattle grates
like a farside cartoon gone wild
chiricahua cowboy
he’s on his horse again
we never know why
we never know when
but he’s the hope of arizona
least from gleeson to portal
the chiricahua cowboy
he’s the one that gets the call
any time ‘r oyster’s are up against the wall
one was udderly female
it was plainly clear to see
queen of rodeo heifers
another rather bullish one,
he kept eyeing me
the chiricahua cowboy
he sauntered into view
wore his leather jacket with fancy fringe
smelled like beer and last night’s stew
boxer shorts and cowboy boots
his pants still in his room
he had spurs a whip and forty-fives
and was itching for a feud
the chiricahua cowboy
who lost big at love and poker last night
he was one big angry dude
he was ready to settle the score
and put those beeves back in the pen
the beefly duel was coming on it seemed
out in the sage, fresh cowpies steamed
the heifer huddled the others then
weight was shifted
horns were pointed
when they all thundered in
all of a sudden the brawl commenced
bullwhip cracked and bullets flew
eight corriente turned tail to run
in the end they met their bovine match
he blew smoke from the end of his gun
chiricahua cowboy rounded ‘em up right then
they were beaten as hamburger
as he locked them in the pen
“next time you come round here
some butcher’ll make it cut and dried
makin’ small parts out of your wholes
and wallets from yer hide!”
chiricahua cowboy
he’s on his horse again
we never know why
we never know when
but he’s the hope of arizona
least from gleeson to portal
the chiricahua cowboy
he’s the one that gets the call
any time ‘r oyster’s are up against the wall
Brooks Bradbury 