Wayne Wysocki Poet Ballad

Tale of a Horse

by Wayne Wysocki

This poem was inspired by a joke going around in the 1970s.

There was a man who bought a horse
From a rancher known as Joe,
But Joe explained things to the man
Before he let him go.

This horse is strange, the rancher said,
You command him not like others;
Say "Oh my God" to make him go,
To stop, say "Smothers Brothers."

He commanded sternly, "Oh my God!"
Once mounted on the steed;
At once the stallion started off
With a frantic burst of speed.

Toward a canyon cliff he ran,
Across the desert sands;
The man, in wild excitement,
Forgot the two commands.

In fear he cried out random words
As fast they neared the drop,
Yet still he could not find the phrase
To make the stallion stop.

He then remembered "Smothers Brothers,"
And yelled with all his breath;
At once the beast slid to a halt
An inch away from death.

Afraid to move, he gazed upon
The canyon deep and broad
He wiped his brow, and in relief,
He whispered, "Oh my God!"

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Jesse Rowe September 15, 2018 at 4:05 PM I believe I had heard a story along this vein away some point, but you're certain it's delightful. Wayne Wysocki September 15, 2018 at 4:08 PM Thanks for reading. The poem was inspired by a joke going around in the 1970s.