Bringing Down Luck, 1895

 

Saddles squeaking, leather on leather
Body strung over Patches, sorrow
One blue eye, dead, eying me
Luck, twin gone, no tomorrow, my brother
Razor rusty barbed wire, old cow trail
Ten miles down the mountain, howling gale

Cold, snowy fallen over worlds
White, muddy, horseshoes tracked domain
Lightning’s walk, death’s speed same
The Butte, Luck crossed Chance, fate
Chance killed, jealous, gun’s flame
Luck did die, boiling up brother’s hate

Patches, Luck’s horse, saddled afterlife.
Luck’s weight, sack of a lifeless lad, tied 
Over saddle, blood drips, red stain cried
Last moon, full overhead, revenge bold
Coldest cold night, my twin, my girl – his goal
Murder ends misery, God! 17 years old

In distance, valley, farm, winter settin’ in
Moses sits fireside, now waitin’, whittelin’
Ma knitting, worrin’ of twins. Delivered
Last sons– Luck ‘n Chance. Near. Arrived.
Children, five-numbered lives, three never given.
One Chance or both alive, Luck’s forgiven?

Moses, father, might, greets this dark tonight
Hears clops, heart stops, mind sayin’, ‘taint right!
Eyes of anger, fright, chin high, fights tears
Ma Sophie cries sees Luck gone ... sorrow’s sight!
Luck’s horse, head down, a dead son, ‘taint right!
Cries, heart’s spears, anguished fears, dream’s blight

Pa! Gun accident, I swear, atop Spiller’s Butte
Luck was dyin’ pa, head near gone, begged me, shoot!
Forever lame, brain crippled, insane, blind eyes
Luck died, no pain, Lord, on my word, no dispute!

—Ain’t true Chance, eye to eye, I see your lies
In you, evidence signs I finds, Luck life took
By you, I walked in your shoes, Luck’s a homicide

No way, I say. But, Moses knows, then shushes
Your Ma, she don’t know men’s ways. My word decides!
What I say, you stays. You – me. The truth Chance!
The whippin’ hide hung high, reachin’ Moses’ eye.
—Brother dyin’! Pain! Bleedin’!  Kill Me! Luck cried.
I did what I did, I had to take his life, never lied.

Sophie, The boy’s mamma outside the barn
Cold moonlight, father ‘n son in sight, talkin’ harm
Hearin’ words, homicide, despite howling wind
Her son Chance, sinned! The family farm, start again?
Heart sinks, cursed family links, death life starts, begins!

Taking to bed, that mooned sad night, Sophie stayed
For days she laid, laced out, lying to self, life delayed
While father and son dug deep, Luck’s family grave
Soil of steel, clouded day, Luck’s rest -all his days
Mamma cried, sank deep, her final sleep, bedside weep
Father, son, done. Devil’s son! Killed both, black sheep!

Lightning ‘n Patches, two rifles and take flight!
Never again step foot ten miles near, into my sight
Luck’s gone, with you no chance, Chance, no chance
Lone men, lives to live, lone wolf’s loveless dance...
Chance, your ma’s dead. I nursed your flaws, to no gain.
Cursed you are forever, a life of poverty, pain...

...cursed ‘till your dying day, remember his bloodstain
... your murdered brother, Chance, Luck was his name!

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