JOE & MARY – by RON SECOY
Howdy Friends! ~ Have a read at a fine Christmas poem by our Friend. Ron Secoy. If you’ve not yet discovered ol’ Ron, look him up, friend him here on facebook, and even buy a few of his book. He tells fine uplifting tales from the cowboy’s point of view, always with a touch of God’s grace leading the way.
Enjoy: “Joe and Mary.”
Just an old cowboy bar
The kind that’s fills up to the eaves
But real empty this night
‘Cause it was Christmas Eve
The bartender was about to close up
When to his own surprise
He looked up to see a cowboy
Looking him right in the eyes
“Didn’t here you come in stranger
“What’ll it be? Beer, whiskey, maybe some gin?”
“Naw, just Christmas cheer for me”
The stranger wore red chaps
And trophy belt buckle for show
A big white Stetson on his head
Almost like a silver halo
A young wrangler came draggin’ in
With a face as sad as a scalded pup
“Give me a tall glass of whiskey
And barkeep, keep ‘er filled up”
The stranger shook his head
“Now what’s your sorry tale?
Are ya down on your luck
Or just get outta jail?”
“Nope, just lost my job
And fired without any pay
Won’t be no happiness at our house
It’ll be a sad Christmas day.”
“Pardner, let me tell you about one
Worst than anything you ever thought
About a guy named Joe
And what a night brought”
Joe had a young, sweet girl
He wanted to be his wife
What she went and told him
Cut him like just a knife
She came up pregnant
And he weren’t the father
He almost broke it off
Never mind the bother
But he stuck by Mary
Through all her days
‘Til they had to go to the county seat
To be counted and their taxes to pay”
“It was a rough journey
Mary’s time was real near
Everywhere they looked for lodging
There wasn’t room anywhere”
“Finally the blacksmith
Gave ‘em a stall
Down at the livery stable
With animals, hay and all”
“She had that babe right there
Laid him in the feed trough
A star stood above the stable
And visitors came from far off”
“Cowboys left their herds
To just get a look at the child
And to gander at young Mary
Who was so gentle and mild”
The stranger slipped him three hundred bucks
“Get on home and tell
About Joe and Mary
And their son Emmanuel”
The cowboy was out of there
A smile as big as Texas on his face
The bartender wanted to thank the stranger
But he too was gone without a trace.
Thanks Ron! ~ Gitty Up, Dutch.
Thanks for sharing!
May you and Robbie enjoy a Blessed and Merry Christmas.
God Bless you my friend!