Saturday, January 26, 2013

swinging doors (short version)



nobody ever walked
through those swinging doors
not even billy the kid
in his sunday best

or jack the ripper
in his carpet slippers
or jesse james
with his brain in flames

who wouldn't play
abe lincoln's games
or general grant
with his railroad track

who shot poor jesse
in the back
or bob ford
with his flaming sword

riding to chicago
in the dining car
with a glass of port
and a cuban cigar

or robert e lee
with his cup of tea
who paid the bill
for poor quantrill

or queen victoria
with her daffodil
asking andrew carnegie
to please sit still

or cora peal
in her negligee
teaching edward vii
the truth and the way

or nellie bly
with her apple pie
or j p morgan
with his cloudless sky

or john d rockefeller
with his shiny dime
making sure the trains
always ran on time

look out the window
of the smoking car
no mongol hordes
ever rode so far

as wyatt earp
in his checkered vest
as he blew a hole
in billy's chest


No comments:

Post a Comment