Old Charlies Gone

We gathered ‘round the chow wagon today

Quietly kickin at the dust,

Not wanting to hear what the boss had to say,

But say it, we knew he must.

We had a notion what was goin on.

With saddle on, but rider missin,

Old Charlies' Bay stood all alone.

We saw the boss comin in the distance.

“You boys gather round me now”

He said as he trotted in,

“ I’ll find the way to say this somehow,

Old Charlie was my friend.”

“He was cheerful in all weathers

And he never shirked a task..

As a cowboy, there was never better.

He did all a man could ask.”

“We camped in canyons, and mountains steep.

Worked weary to the bone.

But he got throwed today at McCraney Creek,

And now old Charlie's gone.”

“If you can live your seventy years

And wear the wounds he wore…

Well, .. maybe y’all can measure up.

Now, I’ll say no more”

He rode away leavin dust in the air,

A tear in the corner of his eye.

We took off our hats, while Pete said a prayer.

The Boss had already said ‘goodbye’.

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 Cannot be used  without express permission from the author
K.L. Dennie July 2012