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Pecos Creek
by Rod Nichols

Now Pecos Creek lay half-asleep,
a town plum tuckered out.
The longhorn trails were now just tales
the school-kids read about. 

A town bereft with nothing left,
a few still hangin' on.
The halls had closed and most of those
who kept them ope' were gone. 

The ones who stayed felt any day
this once "Live" town would die.
Without the men the drives brought in
a cowtown can't get by. 

It must've been a Sunday then
when townfolk came to pray.
A faithful few still filled the pews
and honored Sabbath day. 

The Widow Brown was lookin' 'round;
young Tom had slipped away.
She'd give him "What" when he was caught
for skippin' off to play. 

The service done, she spied her son
roughhousin' with some boys.
Her man now gone and she alone,
Tom was her pride and joy. 

Across the road she might have knowed
and in his Sunday best,
just playin' rough at cowboy stuff
and all his clothes a mess. 

Then came a sound now new to town;
and someone yelled, "Stampede!"
A mustang herd had come unnerved
and now was gatherin' speed. 

They hit the town and then were bound
to reach the other end.
Behind them too a frantic crew
where racin' like the wind. 

A nightmare scene as in a dream
had stirred the Widow's fright.
For Tom had heard that stampede word
and headed back in flight. 

He tripped and fell beneath that Hell
of mustangs on the run.
The Widow cried and then she tried
to reach her only son. 

The herd had passed the church at last
still dust was slow to fall.
The Widow's cries and tear-filled eyes
now struck them one and all. 

Some men now rushed into that dust
to gather up her son.
A harder task no man could ask;
they knew the worst would come. 

A man bent down. Was that a sound?
His ears must be deceived.
He almost cried. "The boy's alive,
and I can hear him breathe!" 

Tom had a bruise and cut or two,
but not much more than that.
Each horse had leaped that helpless heap
when Tom had fallen flat. 

"That has to be a sign you see!"
one of the faithful said.
"Young Tommy Brown jest like this town
we'd given up as dead!" 

"But there he is and here we is,
and I fer one won't quit!
We'll start anew and see this through!
We'll make a go of it!"  

*******

Now Pecos Creek lay half-asleep
until from up above,
a hapless boy to their great joy
received His gift of love. 

Copyright ©2003 Rod Nichols.  All rights reserved.