Stephen Kilmer Poet Free verse

Western Suicide

It’s no secret
I would rather be dead
Than alive
If I were in a western movie
The poster would read:
“Wanted Alive, Death 
Would make him too Happy.”
Can you imagine how that might
Play out in Hollywood and 
Spaghetti westerns?
No more wild gunfights
No more knives in the back
They would have to be tricky
Conniving and even smart 
To bring their man back alive.
At every turn he would beg them to hang him
Give me a dose of horse pills.
Could you tighten these handcuffs up till I bleed?
No one wants a suicidal prisoner
Let’s face it they are just no fun.
And of course you would need a counselor along
To make sure that if he needed to talk there was somebody there.
I mean who wants to talk to some grunting cowboy
Who’s cleaning the cow manure out of his teeth?
Yes the West would have been won in a gentler more feeling
Manner.
Without great escapes and liars.
Just simple folk telling the truth about how they feel.
I know it makes me feel better; although I still want to die...

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Laura Breidenthal September 9, 2013 at 4:26 AM I like the conversational tone throughout and just the way you word things! I laughed at the poster bit! You have such a charm to your work. You are clearly a very interesting individual--someone with a very genuine mind. Always, Laura Stephen Kilmer September 11, 2013 at 10:04 PM Thanks Laura! I am delighted that you enjoyed this poem. I don't know about interesting (most people think I'm a bore) but I appreciate the sentiment. As always thanks for the kind words! ~Kilmer

Karen Anglesey August 22, 2013 at 12:04 PM Great satire and with a suicidal cowboy. You obviously write with a higher level of consciousness. I can just see Marshall Dillon and Doc trying to cope with the conditions of this kind of human suffering..... Seems society would much rather watch a great western than acknowlege it ... until Kilmer comes along :) Stephen Kilmer August 22, 2013 at 4:11 PM What can I say...I am incorrigible. thanks for the kind words. Not sure if it is a higher level of consciousness or a lower one! :) Kilmer

Poet Destroyer A August 21, 2013 at 8:30 PM wow! I truly like this thought... It's like living in another parallel universe.. "The poster would read: “Wanted Alive, Death" (unique) Thank you for the Masterful and marvelous experience when reading such a graphic game when it comes suicide. I'm intrigued to know what state of mind you were in at the time of the write!!! Very spiritual I imagine. Thanks for the insightful view from the West. Much to ponder on, I enjoyed this Western SKY (suicide) piece very much... always~ LINDA. Stephen Kilmer August 21, 2013 at 8:34 PM I was thinking what would the world be like if suicidal people ran it. Perhaps we would be so suicidal. It's the "other people" that make me want to slit my wrists! Kilmer

Barbara Gorelick August 21, 2013 at 7:30 PM I hope this poetic license...You have a gift my friend. BG Stephen Kilmer August 21, 2013 at 7:31 PM Yes it is. No worries I love life and everything that goes along with. Well most of the time anyway. :) Thanks BG for looking after me.