At The Height of the Storm

Painting by Bill Jaxon

...AT THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM


Ned'd been lookin' for strays in a pass,
overlookin' the river's bend.
When just at dark, a thunderstorm stood
that cowboy's hair right up on end.
The sky blew up ...turnin' the night to day,
Ned's soul was set a'quiver,
Earlier Ned had seen a mammy and her
calf 'longside the river.
Knowin' a wall of water would come tearin'
down, scattern' rocks and mud,
If he rode hard he could bring 'em out
leavin' no dead cows in the flood.
Lookin' for the trail down, suddenly ... it
seemed like the whole world exploded,
The big gelding swallered' his head and,
over the cliff, Ned unloaded.
His life passed before his eyes, fallin' near
to his death, down forty feet.
Beat up'n, clingin' to a cedar root, he
found everything else complete.
Knowin' he was in a jackpot, with no way
up'n, certain death below,
A catch-rope dropped by his side ... and he
thought he heard Hank yell, "..TAKE A'HOLD".
Ned tied the knot off and started headin'
up the side of that steep bluff,
Thinkin' Hank was down south, but askin' dumb
questions would come soon enough.
On top, he found the gelding, rope tied
off hard ... and not a soul in sight.
Confused, and spooked ... storms poppin', Ned
had no pressing need to stay the night.
Down the trail was that mammy and her
calf ... like they's waitin' up for Ned.
He just kicked 'em South, tryin' to figure
things out in his achin' head.
Back at camp, Ned thanked Hank for savin'
his life, askin' from whence he came,
Admonishing, "..why'd you leave 'fore
I got out, I might of come up lame"?
Hank eyed Ned real funny'n said, "Leave?
...Save you? Are you on that loco grass?
I ain't been there in weeks man ... reckon why
they call that place "ANGEL PASS"?"

© 6/98 All Rights Reserved * David Kelley '97