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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SONG OF THE CATTLE TRAIL, by                    
First Line: The dust hangs thick upon the trail
Subject(s): Cattle;cowboys;ranch Life;roads;west (u.s.); Paths;trails;southwest;pacific States


THE dust hangs thick upon the trail
And the horns and the hoofs are clashing,
While off at the side through the chaparral
The men and the strays go crashing;
But in right good cheer the cowboy sings,
For the work of the fall is ending,
And then it's ride for the old home ranch
Where a maid love's light is tending.

Then it's crack! crack! crack!
On the beef steer's back,
And it's run, you slow-foot devil;
For I'm soon to turn back where through the black
Love's lamp gleams along the level.

He's trailed them far o'er the trackless range,
Has this knight of the saddle leather;
He has risked his life in the mad stampede,
And has breasted all kinds of weather.
But now is the end of the trail in sight,
And the hours on wings are sliding;
For it's back to the home and the only girl
When the foreman O K's the option.

Then it's quirt! quirt! quirt!
And it's run or git hurt,
You hang-back, bawling critter.
For a man who's in love with a turtle dove
Ain't got no time to fritter.





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