FOLK COLLECTION 11: The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Collection

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

103

Paul Thomas Lillard

Fire Water

I don't blame the Indian for going on the warpath because the reason that they did was the aftermath of their drinking rotten whiskey that the white man sold.

whiskey, warpath, drunk

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

103

Paul Thomas Lillard

The Mosquito

I admire the Creator for what he's done, the earth, the flowers, the warmin' sun, the trees, the rivers, this pleasant land, most of it is simply grand. But the mosquito I just can't fathom why in hell we got to have 'em.

creation, mosquito, purpose

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

105

Paul Thomas Lillard

Buffalo Robes

Buffalo Robes were all the craze long ago in the olden days.

robe, winter, buffalo

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

105

Paul Thomas Lillard

A Promise Made

To the Alamo Saloon each day I go to keep a promise made long ago that I would drink a beer each day to honor a friend who's passed away.

promise, remember, friend, beer

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

106

Paul Thomas Lillard

New Glasses

Now that I have my brand-new glasses, I can tell the horses from the asses.

humor, horses, asses

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

106

Paul Thomas Lillard

Beer

I've drunk beer in Singapore and in Japan I drank some more. In England and Germany, in Mexico too, I made it a point to sample the brew.

beer, international, free

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

107

Paul Thomas Lillard

Horses

I don't like horses very much and I never did. I've been scared to death of them since I was a kid.

fear, horses, bluff

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

107

Paul Thomas Lillard

O'Leary's Cow

Mrs. O'Leary had a cow, don't know the breed but anyhow,

cow, fire, accident, cold

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

110

Paul Thomas Lillard

Learning Combat

I learned a lesson in Korea that when the shootin' starts it's not wise to hide behind Korean money-carts

shooting, combat

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

110

Paul Thomas Lillard

What If?

Now when Columbus sailed from Spain in three little ships.

columbus, history, alternate

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

112

Paul Thomas Lillard

Service Days

When the bullets are flyin' over your head and you're tryin' like hell not to get dead,

fear, bullets, shells, farmer

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

113

Paul Thomas Lillard

Truth

The chiefs they run the navy, the sergeants the army rud.

officers, nco, soldier, sailor

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

114

Paul Thomas Lillard

Officers

An officer should be good to his men, see to their comfort like they was kin.

west point, care, lead

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

115

Paul Thomas Lillard

Baking Day

No aroma pleasured me or was so bewitchin'

baking, oven, jam, kitchen

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

115

Paul Thomas Lillard

Luck

Frieda Lindstrom shot Horace Lee once in the foot and once in the knee. A two-shot Derringer was what she used and later on old Horace mused,

derringer, foot, shooting

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

116

Paul Thomas Lillard

Oops

After they built the Edsel Ford, the boys went back to the drawing board.

car, design, toilet

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

117

Paul Thomas Lillard

The Rattlesnake

The rattlesnake is somewhat mean, the un-friend'ist critter I've ever seen. No sense of humor none at 'tall, never heard one laugh that I recall.

snake, danger, unlucky

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

120

Paul Thomas Lillard

Contentment

I find contentment just sittin' around pullin' ticks off my hound.

content, peace, nothing

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

121

Paul Thomas Lillard

Reincarnation

I've always had this strong fixation that I am a reincarnation. I have the desire to swing in a tree. Maybe I was a chimpanzee.

chimpanzee, reincarnation, urge

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

121

Paul Thomas Lillard

Scary

What scares me I must admit, and I thought about it it quite a bit, is in the hereafter what they'll do to me,

death, fear, afterlife

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

122

Paul Thomas Lillard

Working Poet

Buy me a can of Alamo Lite. Give me some paper on which to write. I'll compose you a poem if you want me to just so long as you're buyin' the brew.

poet, freestyle, imagination

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

123

Paul Thomas Lillard

Tactics

The French, they built the Maginot Line and when it was done, they said, "That's fine. Now let the German Army come.

war, rear, strategy

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

126

Paul Thomas Lillard

Ignorance is Bliss

They say that hell is awfully hot. Well, I don't know if it is or not.

hell, ignorance, knowledge

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

126

Paul Thomas Lillard

Bunker Hill

There was never a battle on Bunker Hill though history books show so still.

revolution, bunker hill, fake, breeds hill

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

126

Paul Thomas Lillard

Schoolyard Fights

Never won any fights when I was a kid, although one time I almost did.

youth, fight, kick, gonads