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The Ballad of Cat Ballou - Part 1

It's a hanging day in Wolf City, Wyoming, 1894. They're gonna drop Cat Ballou through the gallows' floor. Cat your time has come as you stand on the brink. It's sure making you think about your life of sin. Why are they now going to hang you and how did you begin? Catherine Ballou lived in Wolf City, Wyoming and folks here in Wyoming live high off the hog. That brand new firm Sears & Roebuck send them their catalog. It's an upright town with kind, wonderful people, reliable people, friendly as can be. When they say "Howdy" they mean it. Yep they are neighborly. If only Cat had behaved, these folks would befriend her. If Cat had behaved, their hearts they would lend her, but Cat was depraved, and to hell now they'll send her. She could have lived like others do. Cat Ballou, you're wicked through and through. They'll now be hanging Cat Ballou. On a mournful day she became part of a legend. The real start of a legend known as Cat Ballou. When captains of industry killed her daddy it filled her heart with a hate that grew. There are teardrops in her heart but they can't make her cry. She refused to fall apart. They'll never make her cry. She's lost all the family she's known and her tears will turn to stone. All the teardrops in her heart will never make her cry. It's not very hard to grieve when you're a little girl. She refused to give up and leave after they shattered her world. They made a little girl feel like a woman hard as steel, and no matter how they try, they'll never make her cry. When you've got no tears, then you've gotta have something. Hate really is something. Blood is what you need and Cat Ballou made her mind up to make this country bleed. It took a crafty female brain to stage the holdup of a train. She planned it to the last detail until it couldn't fail. This dash and daring desperado led her outlaw gang with cool bravado. They all would follow where she'd lead. They made the country bleed. Round and round and round they went till man and gal and beast were spent. Round and round and round they rode. Oh what an episode. The Ballad of Cat Ballou Continued in Part 2 http://www.poetrysoup.com/poems_poets/poem_detail.aspx?ID=263894

Copyright © | Year Posted 2010




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Date: 11/22/2010 7:45:00 AM
A legend, indeed, and if this poem had been put to music, it would have become a wonderful tribute and lead in to the credits of the famous movie........I would not be surprised to see a more dramatic version (remake) made of her story someday....be sure to save and offer your words. Who knows, it may be the Ballad of Cat Ballou that will become movie music! Well done, Billy!!
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Book: Shattered Sighs