The Angel of Death and the Joshua Tree

Written January 1, 2014 I'm just passing through This tumbleweed town Wondering why anyone would Bother to stay around When the truths that are spoken By our mothers and fathers Are lies told to quiet our fears To quench the thirst Of a man counting his years So today is the day When I'll be laid to waste Buried beneath this cold dry sand Where my father once made me the man that I am So go tell the angel of death He can have all that's left I've nothing to fear in this world Tell my wife and my child Not to go and get riled Up over an old useless man With a feather in my cap and a gun in my hand Whistling tunes of my favorite band Now it's just me and Death Whispering under our breaths Shouting high to the mountains And cursing regrets Who will be the first One to draw out his gun But no matter the end that we meet One's labeled a coward And the other is knocked off his feet It looks as if death has triumphed in jest Believers and sinners have come to pay their respects So Death please just leave them be Crying beneath this Joshua tree