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Open Poetry #46
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Balladeer
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since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA

0 posted 2010-03-01 08:51 AM



I walked around in Tombstone Cemetery late last year
Taking a gawk at all the stones of people buried there.
There were Joneses, Adamses, Johnsons, too, far as the eye could see
And then I spied one tombstone with the single letter "T".

"That's odd", I thought. Perhaps the rest of that name had been lost
Or, maybe, it is not a "T" but symbol of the cross.
That must be it! I smiled, but just before I turned to go
My eyes fell on another tombstone with the letter "O".

The next tombstone beside it had the single letter "E",
And, by this time, I was obsessed with curiosity!
Then "R", then "A", then "G" appeared. Now mystified was I.
I grabbed the arm of Gravedigger Bill as he was passing by.

"Hey, Bill", I said. "I see six graves - one letter on the stones.
Don't seem a right, respectful way to treat those poor folks' bones."
"No that ain't it", he said."Those bones belong to one man in the same,
Some foolish drifter passing through, uh, Toerag was his name."

"That silly fool rode into town - this really is absurd-
And challenged our dear Balladeer into a war of words.
He'd heard back home, across the sea, that Balladeer was best
And so he journeyed over here to put him to the test."

"They met at noon on Main Street with their pens and paper drawn,
For three long hours they fired their quips until the duel was done.
My sons and I dug all night long. I mean, we worked like slaves.
Balladeer cut him up so bad we had to use six graves!!"



© Copyright 2010 Michael Mack - All Rights Reserved
passing shadows
Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577
displaced
1 posted 2010-03-01 10:33 AM


I have been walking those names too Mike


suthern
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Seraphic
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723
Louisiana
2 posted 2010-03-01 12:32 PM


The boyz are back in town! *G*

And this gal's happy to see 'em! *S*

Marchmadness
Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271
So. El Monte, California
3 posted 2010-03-02 01:06 AM


Looks like it's high noon again. We all get a good laugh when the boys shoot it out.
                          Ida

Oklahoma Rose
Senior Member
since 2008-02-28
Posts 1586
Oklahoma USA
4 posted 2010-03-02 07:55 AM


It is so good to read you again. This is fantastic Balladeer my friend. You are the BEST!
Klassy Lassy
Member Elite
since 2005-06-28
Posts 2187
Oregon
5 posted 2010-03-02 11:01 AM


I don't want to be in that graveyard when he comes back to haunt you in bits and pieces!     



gilead
Senior Member
since 2008-03-10
Posts 1067
nevada, USA
6 posted 2010-03-02 11:56 AM


Excellent, we have a Mark Twain in the 21st Century in our midst. You are a master of the humorous story poem!  ---Art
viking_metal
Senior Member
since 2007-02-02
Posts 1337
In a Jeep, Minnesota.
7 posted 2010-03-02 12:09 PM


This is a great write.

Fall in love early, fall in love often.

Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA
8 posted 2010-03-02 04:11 PM


Dixie...I understand!

Suthern....well, maybe, That Toerag is a hit and runner. Never know about that boy.

Ida...more like gunfight at the I'm ok - you're ok  corral....it's always fun

Rose...thank you, girl. Always nice to meet you at the saloon

Lassy....not to worry. Toerag is too busy poking cows!

gilead....high praise indeed. Toerag always brings out the beast, er, best in me.Glad you enjoyed!

viking_metal....I thnk you, sir.....don'tknow about great but, at least, fun

LindsayP
Member Elite
since 2007-07-28
Posts 3410
Australia, Victoria
9 posted 2010-03-04 10:51 PM



It's great to read you again Mike and you

certainly wrote a good one here.
All the best my friend.

Lindsay

Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648

10 posted 2010-04-04 06:38 AM



Andrew Scott
Member Elite
since 1999-06-24
Posts 2558
Redlands,CA,USA
11 posted 2010-04-05 12:39 PM


Yo Deer... seems I remember way back when that Toe was holdin' bananas in place of quills when it came to such duels. Some silly sheep and over ripe squash were also involved. All the same, I dug this piece six times over.

"We'll chase them like rats across the tundra."

Toerag
Member Ascendant
since 1999-07-29
Posts 5622
Ala bam a
12 posted 2010-04-21 10:01 AM


thats right, make fun of a lowly Toerag when he's not around..Balladeer the brave...
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