A Tribute to Tom
We didn't know where the kid called home
He just wandered in one day
Begged and pleaded with the wagon boss
Said he'd dern sure earn his pay
We could tell he weren't a cowboy
By the way he spoke and dressed
But something 'bout him struck a note
He's sorta different from the rest
We could tell ole' Tom was leery
Cause he kid was dern sure green
But he had a kinda sincere way
That we'd seldom ever seen
We convinced ole' Tom to hire him on
He said he'd make the kid a place
You could have lit the darkest room
With the light in that kid's face
Tom cut him out a seasoned horse
So's to keep the kid alive
By break of dawn that frosty morn
The kid was makin' his first drive
Tom sent him on a circle
Said to ride the canyon rim
By the time he made the brandin' pens
His horse was leadin' him
He'd wade right in, I'll give him that
Be it luck or be it fate
Cause every time we'd cut a dry
He'd be standin' in the gate
At the brandin' fire, he seemed compelled
To sure 'nuff make a hand
So we stuck him in the flankin' crew
So's to really test his sand
The first calf run him over
Kicked the pocket off his shirt
By the time he got him flanked and held
His ears was full of dirt
Ole' Tom had yelled to bring the iron
The kid was Johnny on the spot
The end he grabbed was cold as ice
The end he handed Tom was not
But what the heck, the kid's got spunk
He heeled ole' Nasty's calf
Then dragged him through the brandin' fire
Promptin' me and Tom to laugh
Till ole' Nasty come a huntin'
Fer the thief that stole her kin
She give ole' Tom a hookin'
Launched him up and out the pen
So Tom commenced to school the lad
On vaccinatin' calves
Now ole' Tom will be bangs free
And the black leg he won't have
Croppin' ears we thought his lick
But it gave the boy the heaves
And in between convulsions
He swaller-forked my sleeve
The boys agree, he'll make a hand
On that I'll bet my life
But we figures till he seasons some
We'll not give the lad the knife
Then my head began to reelin'
Swellin' up with cowboy pride
Cause the kid's success ain't relevant
It's just simply that he tried
But facts is facts and I'm proud to say
We kept the kid alive
But had we had to school him twice
Poor ole' Tom might not survive
© Jay Snider, All rights reserved
These words may not be reprinted or reposted without the author's written permission.