It was dusty, dry and endless
Stretched beneath an empty sky
From horizon to horizon
Where the turkey buzzards fly,
Like a landscape meant to warn you
Just how far a man can fall.
Except for Ruby in El Paso,
Hell, it weren’t worth Texas at all.
Took a powder in Fort Stockton.
Crossed the Pecos makin’ time.
San Antone gave way to Austin
On the Travis County line.
Shot a rattlesnake in Waco
With my back against the wall.
Except for Bobbi-Jo in Beaumont,
Hell, it weren’t worth Texas at all.
I’ve seen Lubbock and Laredo,
Seen Odessa/Midland, too.
Met a sweet young thing in Brownsville,
Just another déjà vu.
Didn’t tell her I was leaving,
But I promised her I’d call.
Except for Emmylou in Houston,
Hell, it weren’t worth Texas at all.
Learned to do the Stockdale two-step
In the local Lone Star style.
Danced a Galveston fandango
With a Corpus Christi smile.
Set a sucker up in Dallas,
But my partner dropped the ball.
Except for Jill in Amarillo,
Hell, it weren’t worth Texas at all.
A very big piece of turf we call the “Lone Star State”
is what is called home by many poets that are great.
From the Red River in the north, to the Rio Grande,
there are many impressive members from this great land.
If they live in Houston, Austin, San Antonio,
Dallas, Fort Worth, Brownsville, Arlington, or El Paso,
these are many fine members here everyone must know.
Their wonderful literary works are a delight.
They present themselves on this site every day and night.
The poems these members submit are superb entries
They show more diversity than chili recipes!
Therefore, let’s all salute each poet and poetess
who hails from the wonderful great big state of Texas!
He lurks in the shadows
like a dirty mouse
hiding behind buildings
until you come out
your enticing
to him your icing
He follows you
so masterfully
while your jamming
to your i pod
you barely expect it
when he pounces
from behind you
and demands you get naked
with a knife at your throat
he says if you scream
he will stick it through
So all you can do is obey
as he carries you to the roof
and splits apart your youth
a memory you will never forget
even if he was caught
the dark shadows will never look the same
Now you know anybody can lurk
anybody can hurt.