|
Cowboy Poetry and Western Verse
A Line in the Sand
By Brad Fitzpatrick
Old Jasp and I rode into town
Behind a herd stretched half a mile
To sell them for the ranch boss
And we’d been on the trail a while
The stockyard man counted out the bills
Into Jasp’s old work-hardened hand
More dollars than I knew there were
In all that dry and barren land
I said, “Jasp, lets get a bath
Play a card game and drink beer
We may as well have some fun
Since we’ve got money while we’re here”
Old Jasp just frowned and put the bills
Into the saddle bag at his side
He shook his head and said, “No, boy
Get on your horse. Let’s ride”
”That ain’t our money that I got
And there’s only one thing that I’ll do
Boss expects that money back from me
He expects the same of you”
”You see, no man is trusted
To ride for boss’s brand
Unless he’s shown that he knows how
To draw a line there in the sand”
”Some folks believe things are gray
When they’re really black and white
Don’t try to make yourself believe
What’s wrong is really right”
”I ain’t got much in this old world
Most folks have more than me
But I got something worth more than gold
That most folks fail to see”
”I’m talkin’ about your word, boy
You best learn to take a stand
And be someone to be counted on
To draw your own line in the sand”
”At times it would be easy
To take what’s not my share
Hell, I could spend fifty dollars
And boss would never care”
”But I’d give away the best thing
You can have when you’re a man
I won’t sell my good and trusted word
I drew my own line in the sand”
Jasp just smiled and tipped his hat
Then rode off from that feedlot
He headed back toward the ranch
With his old gelding at a trot
I felt about as shameful
As I knew how to be
I wanted Jasp and the others
To see an honest man in me
I learned a lifelong lesson
From an old cowboy that day
I set my mind and set my heart
And then went on my way
I followed behind old Jasp
Thinking what it means to be a man
And knowing from that day on
I’d draw a few lines in the sand
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
