Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, FREIGHTIN', by CHARLES BADGER CLARK JR.


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

FREIGHTIN', by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Forty miles from taggart's store
Last Line: Out the stretchin' road.
Alternate Author Name(s): Clark, Badger
Subject(s): Cowboys; Roads; Travel; Paths; Trails; Journeys; Trips


Forty miles from Taggart's store,
Fifty yet to grind,
Heavin' six strung out before,
Trailer snubbed behind;
Half a world of glarin' sand
Prayin' for a tree,
Nothin' movin' 'cross the land
But the sun and me.

Chuck an' luck! luck an' chuck!
Grunts the workin' wheels;
Lazy gust swirls up the dust
From the hawses' heels.
I've been young and raced and sung,
But I've learnt my load.
Slow, slow, on we go
Out the stretchin' road.

Where the sky-line waves and breaks
Shines a misty beach
And the blue of ripplin' lakes—
Lakes no man kin reach.
Just beyond my leaders' bits
Winds the life I know,
Ruts and 'royos, hills and pits
In a daylong row.

Chuck an' luck! luck an' chuck!
Life's more miss than hit.
Luck's the thing I dream and sing;
Chuck is all I git!
'Neath the sky I crawl and fry
Like the horny toad.
Slow, slow, on we go
Out the stretchin' road.

When I reach that sparklin' line
Where the ripples run,
There'll be just this road of mine
And the dust and sun.
Mebbe on my last far hill,
Where the dream-mist clears,
I'll be freightin', freightin' still
Down the road of years.

Chuck an' luck! luck an' chuck!
Sky-lines mostly lie,
Yet they beat the limp mesquit
That goes trailin' by.
Luck enough to move my stuff—
More I've never knowed.
Slow, slow, on we go
Out the stretchin' road.

Slim and far our shadow swings;
Sun is on his knees.
Some one's campin' at the springs—
Smell it down the breeze.
Chuck time, boys, and sleep besides,
When we've chomped our hay.
Durn your dusty, trusty hides!
You've sho' earned your pay.

Chuck an' luck! luck an' chuck!
Grunts the weary wheels;
Dreams untold and sunset gold,
Cussin' sweat and meals.
If you kin, Lord, let me win,
But I'll move my load.
Slow, slow, on we go
Out the stretchin' road.





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