All There For the Taking

The catering was finished and the music had begun, The young groom and the priestess were out back having fun. The organ grinder's monkey grabbed the sheriff’s only gun, Shot the preacher in the neck and took off on the run. An ambulance soon arrived, was just in the nick of time, Swore he didn't want to die when he was in his prime. They gave him an injection and a ticket for the mime, And told him this was payment for each an' ev'ry crime. The bride was crying loudly when the priestess did return, Heard her say his absence was no longer her concern. There's bridges and there's bridges that been left for him to burn, Turned and walked out the door and the meeting was adjourned. The bar had been reopened and the strangers shuffled in, One took fancy to the bride and her wide open grin. They danced to music playing and talked about secret sin But in the end walked away from places they had been. She opened up the closet, saw the monkey sitting there, Was holding a smoking gun, waving it in the air. He aimed the pistol at her and she sank into the chair; She felt the preacher combing her long unbraided hair. The morning found the priestess sitting by an empty bed, Was dreaming of a groom that she never got to wed. She thought about his loving and roads that they would tread; She thought about the monkey and those he had shot dead. The bride was buried Thursday deep inside a pauper's grave, Right next door to the preacher, whom no one tried to save. The groom watched from far away, his boat drifting on a wave, Once more saw priestess taking more than she ever gave.