The Gunslinger

The Gunslinger 

There once was a honest man, a man of iron and steel
Vengeance filled his heart, a lust for blood so surreal
No one knows what calamity has forged his evil ways
Or of what rages in his cold heart, no man can ever say

In folklore some say, a law man he was, in a lawless, ruthless town
Tin star upon his chest, ivory handled guns ready for a showdown 
Had a wife, a son, the makings of a life, a homestead to call his own
When a cowardly man came a calling, shot down his only home

When he finds his loved ones, lying still, blood spilt within the ground
Finding the lifeless bodies of the kin , his echoed screams an eerie sound
He falls to the ground, kneeling silently before their still lifeless bodies
Burying all of his anger, sorrow and pain, deep within his soul embodies 

A rage filled his heart and his soul, vengeance must be bestowed 
He rode hard and fast to find this man, to place him six feet below
He searched far and wide to find this man, let no one stand in his way
No sleep, no rest, till judgement by his own hand, may have its day

One day this angered man rode into a town like no other he has ever seen
Lawlessness abounds, folk seek refuge from the violence that has been
He reminds himself, this is not my fight, one thought, one man, one kill
Finish what your vengeance craves, then your thirst may finally be stilled

On this day he finally finds this coward of a man in a seedy local saloon
Playing cards and seeking women, not knowing judgement comes soon
His rage filled eyes glare, his muscles tense, blood in his veins run cold 
Will bide his time, the need to look him in the eyes, tell what should be told

He finds his time, the next day he stares his cold death into his eyes
“You are the mangey coward that shot my wife, my son, tell me no lies”
“Do you have anything to say, before I place you deep into the ground”
As the coward raised his head, one shot ran out and he was downed

He walk up and stood above this man and watched him as he slowly dies
He waited to see the blood flow, see his last breath, no life left in his eyes
He turned to see the town folk, he saw the fear in their eyes of this man
He slowly walked away, vengeance had be wielded by the gun in his hand 

Vengeance was his, the rage coursing in his heart was so deeply entrenched 
His heart, broken, his spirit filled with hatred, blood lust never be quenched  
He now possesses a black heart and steel courses though his veins 
He rides with one hand on his holster, the other holding the reins

He rides from town to town, tall in the saddle, no place to call his home
His reputation for a fast gun, always tested, always he stands alone
With each and every duel, comes swift death to any and all that appose  
Seems like a distant life ago, a different man, a certain destiny arose

He is now the gunslinger, in his holsters carry certain death 
He is now yearning for it all to end, so he may finally find rest 
So may ghosts that haunt, the dead eyes of all the lives he took
Hoping a faster gun may finally close this chapter of his book

Copyright © | Year Posted 2018



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Date: 2/5/2019 12:58:00 AM
great piece of scene setting, excellent pace, words appropriate to period yet call across the years to those set on path of vengeance. Will read more of your work. Best regards David in NZ
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Charlie Baker
Date: 2/9/2019 1:00:00 AM
Thank you very much for your inspiring thoughtful words, means so much to me. Thanks again David in NZ Charlie in Can
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