FOLK COLLECTION 11: The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Collection

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

198

Paul Thomas Lillard

The Cherry Tree

Washington said with a gleam in his eye, "There was a reason I didn't lie. I saw my sister watching me as I chopped down that cherry tree.

cherry tree, washington, honesty

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

199

Paul Thomas Lillard

Valid Reasons

"I'm leaving you," my ex-wife said, "and the reasons are galore. You're a no-good lazy bum and a whole lot more, but I coulda' put up with most of your faults and faults you do not lack, but the bathroom was the straw that broke the camel's back.

bathroom, reasons, divorce

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

200

Paul Thomas Lillard

More Knowledge

How many people in a horde or cows in a herd? How many fliers in a flock if you count each bird?

number, facts, answer

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

201

Paul Thomas Lillard

Small Problem

"Do you think that we should sail?" the captain asked of me. "We haven't got many galley slaves to man the oars, I see."

slave, ship, sail, row, whip

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

201

Paul Thomas Lillard

The Wise Man

There was once a very wise man who lived in Persia now called Iran.

wisdom, ancient, creation, science

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

204

Paul Thomas Lillard

Odds and Ends

If your luck runs out and you go for broke, ain't got a nickel in your poke,

broke, luck, fortune, bar

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

205

Paul Thomas Lillard

Age

When I was young and in my prime, I used to do it all the time, but now that I'm old and getting gray I can't do it every day.

age, bed, ability, lack

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

206

Paul Thomas Lillard

More Short Rounds II

My gout was caused, it was seen, by the eating of a chili bean

random, short, topics

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

208

Paul Thomas Lillard

Poets

Keats and Bryon, poets, you know, have gone to the place where good poets go.

subjects, poets, imagination

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

212

Paul Thomas Lillard

Modern World

War ain't simple any more, nothing more, nothing like it before. With all the gadgets they have today,

war, technology, complex

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

213

Paul Thomas Lillard

Prices

When I go to the grocery store, it seems I spend a whole lot more, but also seems I must confess, I walk out with a whole lot less.

money, groceries, store

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

213

Paul Thomas Lillard

Merry Old England

Sir Walter Raleigh, that English gent, things for him badly went. A virgin queen he wanted to bed and over that he lost his head.

england, royalty, tragedy

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

217

Paul Thomas Lillard

Protection

When a full moon rises over the hill and bathes the earth in light, it could mean that the wolfman is on the prowl tonight.

full moon, werewolf, wolfbane

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

217

Paul Thomas Lillard

Dinosaurs

The Dinosaur became extinct through some catastrophe, but what caused it, just what happened is what worries me.

extinction, meteor, dinosaur

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

218

Paul Thomas Lillard

Bad Things

A cold is bad, there ain't no doubt and you hurt like hell when you've got the gout. Flu and fever and bumblebee stings, all of these are nasty things.

discomfort, ache, itch

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

220

Paul Thomas Lillard

The Hangover

When I have a hangover it hurts like hell and I always wonder if I'll ever get well. Every bone in my body aches and my muscles tremble with hangover shakes.

hangover, headache, pain

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

223

Paul Thomas Lillard

Old Red

I once had a rooster and how he could crow as he strut the barnyard to and fro, shining feathers and a comb of red. Oh, what a life that rooster led.

rooster, age, sex

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

226

Paul Thomas Lillard

Panama Canal

I just don't for the life of me really understand why we up and gave away that precious piece of land. It served us well for many a year after it was built

gave away, panama, theft

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

227

Paul Thomas Lillard

More Platy-pi

When the Creator made the platypus, He did it as a joke because He knew of the confusion that it would evoke,

creator, platypus, confusion

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

227

Paul Thomas Lillard

Mystery

The stars above the earth below. How they came about I don't know.

nature, mystery, creation

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

228

Paul Thomas Lillard

Short Time

I don't admire a saloon that doesn't open 'till the afternoon and if I had my say, they'd open early every day.

saloon, early, opening

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

228

Paul Thomas Lillard

Make Haste

I write every day makin' up rhyme fast as I can.

rhyme, time, speed

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

229

Paul Thomas Lillard

Reflections

Churchill was asked by a reporter one day, "I'd like to know, sir, if I may,

winston churchill, regret, regret

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

229

Paul Thomas Lillard

Good Advice

To insure you live a very long life, never ever abuse your wife.

wife, abuse, caution

Poems from the Alamo Saloon

FOLK COLL 11 L-45

230

Paul Thomas Lillard

Lawyers

Of all the people I've met on earth since the day of my birth lawyers are it seems to me a plague on all eternity.

law, terminology, expensive