The Ghost Chuckwagon-A Cowboy Poem

It was just getting daybreak out on the plains,
The sun was starting to rise,
The campfire smoldered, the wood wet from the rains,
And all of us cowboys hoped for clear skies,

A couple of cowboys were already up,
Ready to get the day going,
There was plenty of time for a full coffee cup,
And some of the cattle were lowing,

I filled up my cup and gave a good yawn,
Rocking back on my heels,
It was then that I heard out there in the dawn,
The unmistakable sound of the chuckwagon’s wheels,

“Where’s that sumbitch goin’” I heard one cowpoke say,
“We ain’t breakin’ camp yet,”
“And besides this here is the start of the day,
And as far as breakfast, we ain’t even et.”

I turned around and went where the horses were bound,
Out there in the remuda,
My lariat whirled in the air round and round,
And caught the neck of my horse, Barracuda,

Barracuda and I away we did fly,
To see which way the cook and his wagon did head,
But we couldn’t catch up no matter how hard we did try,
And my poor cowboy heart was suddenly filled with dread,

“Could this be that ghost chuckwagon we’ve all heard about?”
I thought as I kept on a’going,
Then I heard a cowboy behind me ride up and shout,
“There’s a storm,” he yelled, and just then the wind started blowing,

But Barracuda and I continued to fly,
With the thunderstorm’s wind at our heels,
And a Kansas twister came out of the sky,
And blew us right up to the chuckwagon’s wheels,

I jumped from the saddle and through the air I soared,
We were going a horrible pace,
And as I swung up on the wagon’s buckboard,
It was then I looked Death right square in the face,

So if you find yourself out there on the High Kansas Plains,
And the chuckwagon’s wheels you hear turning,
Make damn sure you know who’s got ahold of the reins,
Or for your life you may find yourself yearning.