Stranger

STRANGER

They whispered there’s a stranger

And he’s riding toward town.

They wondered where’d he come from

And why’s he coming ‘round?

Was he a criminal

Wanted by the law?

What was his name?

Was he fast on the draw?

Would he run if

Someone called his bluff?

Or wouldn’t poker-faced words

Be sufficient enough?

Where had he come from?

What would he do?

Everybody wondered –

No body knew.

He rode a large horse,

Both palely white.

They stood out clearly

Riding at night.

Could he be bested?

How was his hook?

Everybody watched him.

Everybody shook.

He settled himself into

The Long Horned Cattle Hotel

And for a goodly moment

Ev’rything went pretty well,

But one chill autumn day

Ed Black came along

And said by sundown

The stranger had best be gone.

He didn’t run,

So they squared off in the street,

And right after the battle

They buried Ed Black deep.

The stranger rode away

Without a scratch,

And we knew who he was:

One no one could match.