The Poker Game at The Black Rose

By Fee

The poker cards were arrayed as the hands were displayed

And the stakes went up at the Black Rose that night

The money pile was high, and I breathed a sigh

As I flipped my last hole card up in plain sight

Two threes and three ones, adds up to a tidy sum

Black Ed’s two pair looked sad next to my tight

I wore a long grin, as I raked all the money in

Black Ed just swore, and spit on the floor

Sweet Kate and La Belle at the bar, looked on from a far

And gave me winks that I could hardly ignore

I was enjoying the fun, so I didn’t see his gun

Till I was staring straight down its smooth bore

Long Georg let a yell, and the whole room went still

I pushed back my chair, and flung myself clear

Relieved his first shot had went wide of his mark

And the thunder seemed near, as hot lead crazed my hair

Scattering sawdust off of the floor as I rolled once more

Until my own six-gun its leather finally did clear

I fired to my right, when I saw Black Ed in my sight

That Colt was dead-on; I knew old Black Ed was dead

On my left Kate held me tight, La Belle hugged me to the right

As slowly I rose to my feet, picked up that crushed piece of lead

A souvenir of mortality earned, from the good Lord up above

I thanked him for not making me dead, but no one but him cared what I said

As the drinks I paid for that night were on Black Ed…

…