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The Midnight Ride of Bill Taylor
| Open Poetry #3 |
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The Midnight Ride of Bill Taylor |
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John Yaws Senior Member
since 1999-10-09
Posts 860Texas 
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The Midnight Ride of Bill Taylor Living from a suitcase- And drifting ‘cross the land. A breed we see too few of- A sure ‘nuff Western man. His beat up Chevy pickup- No kids, nor nagging wife And not a lot to show for- His sixty years of life. A scrapbook in the suitcase- He used to drink and show: His clippings to the youngsters- When he used to rodeo. He’s kept a dozen buckles- And a rig he never rides- But a faded eight by ten is: His joy and his pride. Taken in the sixties- At the show up in Cheyenne, A picture of a saddle bronc, And Bill, as he was then. Written in a scrawling hand- Low down on the right, The caption says, “Bill Taylor- On the day he rode Midnight”. After he rode Midnight- Bill never was the same- Though he rode a lot of others.. That one was his claim to fame! A black horse from Montana- And mighty bad to fight... They say he was a killer- This horse they called Midnight. He killed a man in Casper- Then he hurt a dozen more... This wild one from the prairies Was running up a score. Bill drew him up in Cheyenne A bronc who’d not been rode.. Old Bill was quite a rider- And seldom he’d been throwed. They run the horse into the chute- Bill cinched his saddle tight. They sized each other up a bit- This cowboy and Midnight. Bill told the pickup riders- “You boys both stay shy... I’ll ride him to a standstill, Or me or him will die”. The stands grew deathly silent- The crowd could hardly wait, Bill dropped into the saddle, Then nodded for the gate.... A blur of black explosion- Old Midnight bailed out high- His nose in that arena dirt- His hind feet in the sky. Bill nailed his shoulders cleanly Then began to part his hair, No matter what old Midnight tried, The cowboy stayed up there... In a cloud of death like silence That arena was immersed. No man alive had rode the horse They knew he’d be the first. But finally it was over... Midnight stood; his feet spread wide The horse was rode, his streak was broke Bill Taylor sat astride. Though he’s a broke down cowboy- He holds his head with pride... He lives with dreams of Cheyenne- And his famous Midnight ride. ------------------ Live large, people! ~GS~ |
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| © Copyright 1999 John R. Yaws - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
And there's never a dull 'ride' from you either Gunslinger! Very enjoyable tale!  ------------------ Denise |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Excellent piece of storytelling, GS. You have a gift...... |
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hoot_owl_rn Member Patricius
since 1999-07-05
Posts 10750Glen Hope, PA USA |
GS, wonderfully written....each time I read your work I am again reminded of the song "Beaches Of Cheyenne" by Garth Brooks...you didn't write that did you? Smiles, just thought I'd ask |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
This pleases the cowgirl in my very much. Thank you for such an enjoyable read! |
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Watcher666 Senior Member
since 1999-10-13
Posts 1606 |
This was excellent! I enjoyed it very much! Thank-You for sharing it! ------------------ Illusion...what we see and what we do...it's all up to you. |
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