Poetry

1. Coming Home Winston W Wallace Click to advance

2. Sweetheart, this is my last cattle drive I hope never again to see Abilene, Kansas While I am alive I write this letter while on the trail Somewhere in Oklahoma Territory We are stopped now because of the rain and hail We lost old Jim today when the herd stampeded I cry silently because he was like a Dad to me He was always there when he was needed

3. We tried to give him a decent burial and said a few words As we laid him down for his final rest I put some wildflowers on his grave And said "Jim this ain't Texas And I know you deserve the best You won't be here long That coyote singing that mournful song

4. Tells me Jim, you are coming home Honey, I'm starting on my letter again It has been a week since we lost Jim The wind blew so hard today And the sky was full of dust I don't know how we made our way I sure miss you and the kids I have lost track of the days

5. But I know this month Lily has her birthday Tell her Daddy loves her and everything is going to be OK I'll try to get her that doll in Abilene It will be the prettiest thing she has ever seen Tell Bobby I miss him a lot And we will go fishing soon as this drive ends To you all my love I send A lonely cowboy on his last cattle drive Never sent this letter and his sweetheart never knew what happened to him He is out there on the lone prairie with his buddy Jim

6. Where the coyotes howl and the buffalo roam Lily and Bobby cry at night And his sweetheart weeps under the moon He won't be coming back home

7. The End Winston W Wallace