the kansas cliffs

did you ever hear
about jesse james
gang how they’d ride
the wind from cimarron
down to the rio grande?
no bank and no outpost
was safe against the
outlaw and his gang
as the hard steel
hoofbeats rang
on the sides of
those kansas cliffs.
i was picking turnips
with my grandpap when
they pulled up to the house.
grand dad stalled for time
whilst nana run for the gun
i shied down like a regular
turnip so as to not be seen
grandad kept talking to the
four dark riders with the man
out in front they called the
bad ass of the west
and beside em saddlebags
filled with greenbacks from
a bank in wichita falls
a shot rang out and nana
spun and kicking up the dirt
like a tornado gone carazy
jesse caught the slug
in his teeth
there stamped on
the side next to
the calibre she had
writ a secret message
nana want to come and
join up with the gang.
in sudden spurs and
snorting they turned
and broke to the sunset
with nana off and riding
right behind and fast
yeehaw.