I’m not normally a fan of poetry. However, somewhere I came across this cowboy poem in a place where the person pointing it out thought it was redolent of Brokeback Mountain.
Be that as it may, it touches me somewhere and I think it might touch you too.
Jeff and Joe. A True Incident of Creede Camp, Colorado by William Devere
Knowed Joe Simmons? Course I did.
Knowed him ‘fore he up an’ slid
Cross the range that blustery day.
Did he slide? Well I should say!
Not the way you mean it, though,
Up the hill we toted Joe,
And we laid him ‘neath the rocks.
Death had called the turn, “Jack Box.”
‘Fore he cashed in Jeff Smith come,
Asked if nothin’ could be done.
Jeff, yer see, thought well of Joe