Abilene Poems

He used to be a ramblin' man
Drank and gambled shore to shore
Then he met a brown eyed lady
And he don't do that anymore

Oh, he was born in New Orleans
Traveled as far as Singapore
He met a girl from Abilene
And he don't...Read More

We hung a horse thief in Wichita
Meanest man anyone ever saw
He laughed just before we did the chore
Said from his grave he'd moan ever more

He said that he'd sit there on his stone
And the town could watch him turn to...Read More

Screaming Guillotines

I.

I sit on the wide veranda of this house called America,
And I can see the Beast Boys coming our jungled way,
Coming like wild torrents of lapping flames over the astonished landscape,
Coming with black eyes squinting and staring for a...Read More

We hung the baddest man in Kileen
As dangerous as we'd ever seen
"I will haunt you," he had said
"I will come back from the dead."
So we buried him in Abilene.

12-25-18
Contest: Let's Have Fun Limerick
Sponsor: Shadow Hamilton...Read More

Another Day...Another Accursed Blank Screen

Ma wink'n and blink'n
     mind nod yet awake,
     nor insights keen,
asper ho hum usual, this
     (day-glo bull leave
     me you)...Read More

Down in the orchard an old woman lies -
Once a fair beauty when Texas was young.
She rests 'neath marble of adequate size,
But most of her deeds are left here unsung.

A widow from Georgia she came alone
To a land of great...Read More

Sitting 'neath an apple tree
In Edmond, Oklahoma
Thinking of the days gone by
And drinking my Corona

Body beat all black and blue
I've had less ups than I've downs
I guess that's just all that I get
As an old time rodeo clown

Should I say...Read More

It was just a simple country barn dance
On a little farm outside Abilene
Her brown eyes would flash "won't you take a chance?"
Her feet were smooth as a dancing machine

On a little farm outside Abilene
Our eyes met as if we had...Read More

I've known some Katies and I've loved some Sadies
And I've seen my share of girls' names in between
But I'll tell you son I've never known one
That measured up to a girl named Ima Jean

She could rope a calf or she...Read More

There's a grave out on the Plains that holds the last remains
Of a cowboy shot dead in Abilene
It was a young girl they say that caused his death that day
And left him in a hole that's never seen
He swore with...Read More

Even young bucks like yourself there
Find that they need advice
Go on and ask your share
Hell, I've been there least once or twice

I was in Abilene one day
Just drivin' some cows through
Knew I'd find a "lady" they say
Lookin' for someone, too

Met...Read More

The Cowboy Life

He spends so many days
Traveling the old cattle trails
From Oklahoma to Abilene
Day after day with no end in sight
Just other men, horses and cattle
Mile after mile
Storms and endless sun
Sand blowing across the plains
Tearing into his skin
The cowboy waits...Read More

Preterition of Cooking


Don't talk to me about cooking
I don't cook anymore
Tried to cook on a cattle drive
The boys gave me "what for"

We was eight days from Abilene
Cooking was goin' well
A twister jumped the herd that day
An' blew the cook to...Read More

The Perils of Slim


Slim works a drilling rig by day,
And drinks Lone Star at night.
He'd tried to rodeo before,
But nothin' came out right.

He'd cowboy'd in the Panhandle,
And by the Rio Grande.
He'd farmed a little cotton plot,
Got covered up with sand.

Tried...Read More

The Brown Eyed Calf

Now ol’ Dan was a calf roper
Won lots of cash that way
He’d rope at county fairs and such
A big boost to his pay.

He done it for so many years
They got to seem the same
Sometimes he lost track...Read More

Hank lounged on his porch watchin' the sun slowly sinkin' in the west.
He'd cowboyed for nigh on sixty years and figgered he'd done his best.
Hank and his faithful hoss Old Dan was now enjoyin' their leisure years,
And he had time...Read More

  Gift from God they called him, tall, lean and proud, the big iron 
hanging on his belt, had opened many a shroud. He rode an Apaloosa,
a stallion maned and tailed, and had followed a gang of four outlaws...Read More

I Poet:  Ken Jordan 
Poem:  Old Abilene 
Edited by:  Sparkle Jordan 
written:  July/2015 


God 
is a 
Texas sheriff,

down 
in 
old Abilene -

He has
pale 
white skin,

tall
in 
stature, 

brawny,
with
a
deep voice,

and 
a coy sly
grin -

He's 
the judge
and 
jury -

for...Read More

Hank had cowboyed on the Triple T Ranch fer nigh on fifty years.
He'd rode the range herdin' beef peerin' betwixt his hoss's ears.
Durin' cattle stampedes he'd broke bones and many a time was throwed,
And he'd been astraddle his saddle so...Read More

Cowboys in the Badlands 

Out West, across the great divide
great open spaces oceans wide.
Beauty in these badlands does hide
everything fights us as we ride.

Last stop, was exciting wild Abilene
shot an hombre that was very mean.
Watched him bleed as he slowly...Read More

When cowboys sprawl 'round the camp fire after the days work is done,
They strum guitars and tootle harmonicas and sing to have fun.
Real cowboys don't sing Honky-Tonk or She Done Me Wrong stuff.
They leave that to rhinestone cowboys, considerin' it...Read More

Lyrics to:
The Texas Poet Two Step



There won't be no Sun out on the Brazos 
There won't be no rain in Abilene 
I won't write a poem for Tom's contest
And Margaret Reid won't get a check from me

I'm tired of my...Read More

Hank had rode the range a-punchin' cattle fer nigh on fifty years,
Ridin' through Texas northers and brandin' cantankerous steers.
He'd herded ornery longhorns along the Chisolm Trail to Abilene.
He'd signed on with the Triple D Ranch when he was about seventeen.

Hank...Read More

Born out on Highway 9 down in Corpus
Saw a mermaid in the gulf or maybe a porpoise
What a time at South Padre during Spring break
In Amarillo one time I tried to eat a giant steak

And I’m drunk in Del Rio...Read More

It was a Tuesday night and dull boredom had set in
‘ thought I heard my ol’ car say: “Take us for a spin!
Go pickup Bobby Mac and maybe Cindy too,
‘Cause it’s Tuesday night … and there’s nothin’ else to do”.

Bobby...Read More