I Am Anaya Poet Elegiac Lyric

Notes About The Poem

Watch YouTube Movies & TV Documentary "In Search of Doc Holliday"  Fun Fact:  The Hollidaying Law...Wyatt Earp learned of an extradition request for Holliday and arranged for Colorado Governor Frederick Walker Pitkin to deny Holliday's extradition. Holliday spent the few remaining years of his life in Colorado.  Hence the Hollidaying Law.

Deathbed Poetry Contest

Sponsor Daniel Rodgers

Tenth Place

 

A reference made  “To err is human; to forgive, divine.” – Alexander Pope

"The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past,  and every sinner has a future." - Oscar Wilde

Deathbed Poetry-Doc Holliday

"This is funny"— Doc Holliday 
A cowboy’s whispering
a devil may care response?
I give as good as I get
Doc Holliday gave his services, 
saved a lawman from sure calamity
brave, never a streak of yellow
perchance it was his caustic wit, 
a humorous bite, and sense of humor
as dry as the dust
I am your huckleberry
do or bust!

At the Ok Corral
horse’s trotting
horse neighs, grunts
a nickel plated pistol fires
the infamous gun fight prior
what’s not to admire?
Cavalier as Doc may be,
a baptized sinner’s gunslinger        
who’d specialize in dentistry
at a time when a bottle of whiskey  
and a pair of pliers were the tools of the trade
he gave and gave
"Best set of teeth in gold"
claims he and partner 
and true it was awarded and to showcase 
annually at the County Fair, praise oh praise!

Tuberculosis 
the death of him
the “White Death” shall soon take its toll
coughing spells untimely discourse dispels 
a recourse to gambling after all
dexterities hold steadfast
Faro, a master’s game
no real family but the wild and woolly west
when shooting it out its life or death
Or knives be it 
the heart bleeds, its beats slowly
as the lungs fill with unrepentant decay
a dagger's stabbing pain

The sulfurous waters
the distant wind yearns and blows 
like the drums of passion,
a harpsicord ominous,
an urgent cello
exposing desert sands 
it reveals one’s true nature
an inherent caliber it shall define
For every sinner there is comfort in knowing
there is forgiveness divine
to err is human and in the depths of our sins
the light will shine
so it shall be for him 

I always figured I'd meet my fate someday 
with my boots on…
but in the end 
in his bed
boots off

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Robert Gorelick November 1, 2025 at 12:50 PM Juicy and informative. THX for fleshing out, with elan, this Wild West icon who folks only recognize as Wyatt's good pardner. No high-falootin' folk tales for you--Your research and style ride high in the saddle! Robert

Daniel Henry Rodgers November 1, 2025 at 7:26 AM Dear Anaya, Congrats on placing in my contest that rides the line between myth and mortality with real finesse. You’ve built a layered portrait, part ballad, part elegy, that captures Holliday’s contradictions without flattening them. I just watched a 6-part series on Wyatt Earp on Netflix. It was quite fascinating and taught me things I did not know. Autumn Blessings, Dear Anaya, Daniel I Am Anaya November 1, 2025 at 8:38 AM Daniel, I made your list and am grateful for that and one of the loveliest reviews. So many have left their mark & I chose Doc to represent. True history! I too am an avid docu watcher & will make sure to watch it as well. TyVm for sponsoring challenging contests I appreciate you Happy Dia De Los Muertos! -xXhugs

Karen Jones November 1, 2025 at 7:16 AM Congratulations on your win Anaya! I wanted to do this challenge but couldn’t wrap my brain around it or focus for some reason. I Am Anaya November 1, 2025 at 8:34 AM TyVm Karen. Never give up! xXHugs

Christopher Delegans October 27, 2025 at 9:30 PM Love this take on one of my all time fav characters and movies. You see the multi-part Wyatt Earp doc on Netflix? Very well-written poem, Anaya. I Am Anaya October 28, 2025 at 8:24 AM Ty Christopher! Was wondering what to watch next. Non-fiction westerns, whoa, vengeance that almost sparked a second civil war & my interest! This is for Last Words contest & biography is not what the sponsor wants--I did the best I could inking Doc into prose. Thanks for the kind review~

Yann Rolland October 27, 2025 at 5:19 PM i love so much western, they are inspiring my life since childhood, grew with them, a great and talented tribute dear poet I Am Anaya October 28, 2025 at 9:12 AM Heroism, sacrifice & resilience very inspiring Yann, the good cowboys yeah--yet the law of the wild west, came down the barrel of a gun, (buffaloing) these the bad guys. American mythology & adventure.. survival, justice, 'the cowboy spirit' toughness & too many to count. They would determine the future of the west & really the future of America.

Andrea Dietrich October 26, 2025 at 12:14 PM He was quite the character all right! It's nest how you got so much info on him plus other quotes into this poem. I hope you get the win this deserves I Am Anaya October 26, 2025 at 1:28 PM Thankx Andrea, much appreciated ! There are docu's I watch when nothing else is on. The wild west is our history!

Constance La France October 25, 2025 at 3:59 AM Anaya, excellent writing, you are so talented. I was mesmerized from the first word. Like the images, quotes and last words. This is a winner for me, Constance I Am Anaya October 25, 2025 at 10:27 AM Hi Constance! Thank you for a lovely review & wishes. I too admire your poetry. I entered at the last minute with only 5 submissions left. It was a work in progress, completed!~Ty & October blessings

Paige Hind October 24, 2025 at 6:08 PM Hey, Anaya. This had an ending I did not expect. I do not know much about Westerns, but- could kinda feel it. I love your quote. Paige Hind October 25, 2025 at 4:44 PM I actually know of her, lol. Good with a gun - I Am Anaya October 25, 2025 at 10:32 AM I know a couple of people, I didn't even know that Wyatt Earp was a good guy! Now anxious to get to know more cowgirl legends of the wild west! My choice is Annie Oakley. Paige Hind October 24, 2025 at 8:35 PM Anaya, I know none of them, lol. But I liked your poem. Xx I Am Anaya October 24, 2025 at 6:20 PM Westerns are an acquired taste. Wyatt Earp, Dirty David, Billy The Kid, Jesse James, Champagne Charlie, these cowboy gangsters ruled the wild west for a time. A lot of history made of these legends. Here are some Cowgirls you may know *Rose Dunn *Pearl Hart *Ellen Liddy Watson *Pearl de Vere *Lillian Smith *Etta Place *Laura Bullion *Josephine Sarah Marcus *Calamity Jane *Charley Parkhurst-born Charlotte *Belle Starr *Annie Oakley xX