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Cowboy Poetry and Western Verse
The Miner
Steve Dickson
Jim went out to the mines in '49
To get his fair share of that gold
Just a young lad he was very well glad
To have an adventure so bold
Most claims were taken and left Jim shaken
Slim diggings were there left to be
He did find a girl that changed his whole world
In a way that he'd not foresee
Her name was Eliza, men called her Lil
She worked in the roughest saloon
One night he tried her, lay down beside her
In buttery light of the moon
Skin that was fair and such long golden hair
Eyes colored just like the blue sea
He had things all planned and asked for her hand
but that was sure never to be
She told him that no one under the sun
Would tame her on down like a mare
She had his whole heart but he was not smart
Not seeing that she did not care
After she'd spoken, left him heartbroken,
He swore then not ever to bend
Fate though is clever, never say never
on that you can surely depend
He acted bold, went up north in the cold
Where the nights seem never to end
Skies filled with that light, those colors so bright
You're sure that the heavens did send
Mountains and streams helped him take back his dreams,
To know that the future is good
He stayed there for years but still shed some tears
when stray thoughts of Lil did intrude
Wandered and mined all the creeks he could find
Til he struck the old mother lode
So much color was there, he took his share,
staked his claim and went down the road
Soon came the day when ol' Jim made his way
Down to town with bags full of gold
The strike it was found, his future was bound
to be filled with riches untold
He walked in the saloon, hummed a strange tune
he'd learned from a very old friend
As he raised a glass his eyes soon were cast
On the gal down there at the end
He knew who she was, his heart gave him pause
For there in the flesh was his Lil
Years had gone past but this die was long cast
To see her still brought that old thrill
Her back was to Jim and what bothered him,
He saw she was not there alone
Crowded around were the men of the town
The one she stood with was well known
This man by her side was known far and wide
Jack Buck was wicked and cruel
Once killed a man for defending his land
Shot him down dead in a duel
Jim walked over to Lil, so calm and still
He saw there and then that she bled
Her face bruised and torn, as Jim turned with scorn
And then he hit Jack in the head
Jack reached to his side, slid knife from its hide
Lunged at Jim with death in his eye
“This girl is with me you'd better well see
I'll cut you and laugh as you die”
Jim swung again, Jack went end over end,
he was down, spit blood on the floor
“Touch her again, and I'll send you to hell”
He yelled as Jack ran out the door
Jim walked over to Lil, held her until
The cold steel bit deep to the bone
He went down on his knees, felt the cold breeze
As death took him to the unknown
On that same day when they led her away
The sheriff asked what she had done
“I just stabbed a man who wanted my hand
but this kind of love makes me run
I knew he'd not leave, I did not believe
He'd ever just let me alone
No one can see how it hurts me to be
A gal who men just want to own
I yearned for the ones who just wanted fun
Bad men who played hard then they ran
I was wild and free, but God forgive me
for killing a good hearted man”
Steve Dickson 2014
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