The Man From Fred

He was a sweaty little man But tall in the saddle He didn't know a lot of things But he knew 'bout cattle He was born just outside of Fred, Almost a town - not quite First thing he saw was sand and dust- That's all there was in sight He was born to be a cowboy Weren't no doubt about that So he didn't stay in Fred too long- Went where the cows was fat His Pa had a section of dirt One square mile of mesquite Twenty acres to feed one cow And it was short on meat He went to work at age fourteen An' learned the cowboy's trade He broke some bones an' got heat stroke An' sometimes got afraid Well, that went on for twenty years 'Til all his folks was dead The land that he had once called home Was his outside of Fred He rode home on a borrowed hoss A dollar in his boot Had the look of a busted man Who didn't give a hoot He rode in through the old ranch gate All he could do was stare The place was covered with strangers Drillin' rigs everywhere Said they were drillin' for his pa When he just up and died So now they guessed that he was boss An' he swelled up with pride Well, he got rich, no need to say - Returned the hoss an' all Then took the dollar from his boot An' nailed it to the wall He drives a brand new pickup now A Stetson on his head He ain't a sweaty little man Now he's The Man from Fred April, 2016 Judged N/A For contest 100 In A Row - 11 Date Finalized 8/18/2016 For contest Take The Dagger From My Heart, Please