by Douglas Milburn

What happens--what may happen--if you spend
a chunk of childhood in Goodlet, Texas,
a wide place in Highway 287
between Fort Worth and Amarillo:

West Texas winter, snow colored red
on bob wire fences, coyote’s done fled.

Prairie dog lives in prairie dog town,
rancher’s son wonders why the old man’s down.

Land laid low, fresh out of tears,
long-gone mountains, Coronado’s fears.

Land so flat, earth-sky vise,
blue norther’s comin’, dust clouds gonna rise.

Cockle burr shows what no man knows,
good lets up the harder man grows.
Cockle burr kin, burnt cotton gin,
when the Red River rolls I’ll go back again.

Water on the road no man ever drinks
white steer skull, eyes never blink.

Gulleys run dry, Quanah never speaks,
Medicine Mound watches, oil pump never sleeps.

Farmer comes runnin’, your ma’s home dyin’,
come on, boys, the new baby’s cryin’.

Burlington Zephyr racing the wind,
I know Amarillo’s at journey’s end.

Cockle burr shows what no man knows,
good lets up the harder man grows.
Cockle burr kin, burnt cotton gin,
when the Red River rolls I’ll go back again.

Chilicothe, Wichita Falls,
Vernon, Jacksboro, the stockyards call.

Cattletruck tires singing in the night,
coasting down the Caprock, Fort Worth ain’t in sight.

Town fool lives alone and apart,
wears a silver number right over his heart.

Big Three knows it’s only a game,
Big Three knows cause that’s his name.

Cockle burr shows what no man knows,
good lets up the harder man grows.
Cockle burr kin, burnt cotton gin,
when the Red River rolls I’ll go back again.

Let’s pretend Smilin’ Ed cares,
Light Crust Fiddlers peddle their wares.

Rattlesnake warnin’ but no apples to eat,
buy me some whiskey, got some memories to met.

Cockle burr shows what no man knows,
good lets up the harder man grows.
Cockle burr kin, burnt cotton gin,
when the Red River rolls I’ll go back again.

END

Back to Magellan's Log 50

Magellan's Log front page

Send this page to a friend.

  Words and Music Copyright © 2002 Douglas Milburn