I heard this last week at cowboy church and thought I'd share...
by Dewey the Cowboy Poetry Expert
THE PROSPECTOR
They headed out the canyon late autumn in the snow.
The old prospector and his mule were loaded, traveling slow.
He'd buttoned down his collar; his hat was stuck down like glue.
And they headed straight for Elko, because, well, they wanted to.
He chewed a twist of something that would surely curl your hair.
His long gray beard matched his steel, gray eyes with their penetratin' stare.
He moved with calm demeanor, seemed fearless through and through
As they headed straight for Elko, because, well, they wanted to.
His mule was short and wiry; his face was long and sad.
He had a way of travelin' kind'a like his owner had.
They seemed to fit together, their partnership was true
As they headed straight for Elko, because, well, they wanted to.
When they hoofed it into Elko, a bunch of cowboys gathered 'round.
See, they'd just come off together, and they was a shootin' up the town.
When they spied that old prospector, they knew just what they'd do.
They circled up around him, because, well, they wanted to.
One asked the old prospector if he'd ever learned to dance.
"No," he said real cautious, "I ain't never had the chance."
So the cowboy pulled his six gun and said, "Well, I'm up to teachin' you!"
And he danced that night in Elko, just as if he wanted to.
Yes, he danced and dodged them bullets like a jumpin' jack
Until he counted six, then he ceased dancin', stepped quickly to his pack.
He held a shotgun in his hands, his voice was calm and cool.
He said, "Tell me something, Sonny, have you ever kissed a mule?"
The young man's face contorted as he pondered his disgrace,
And he stared with consternation at that shotgun in his face.
He swallowed hard before he spoke, his voice came sharply through,
He said, "No! I ain't never kissed no mule! But I've always wanted to!
JACK HANNAH
Posted on Apr 5, 2011, 5:49 PM from IP address 98.67.244.251