background: This is a poem that is highly inspired and built on the poem/lyrics found in the songs of the Australian cowboy film called the Proposition. I won’t take credit for the structure or the perspective but I had a really fun time writing it and thought it was still worth sharing (we could also call it heavily editing the original lyrics?):
West rider:
No
said the wind to the moon
He must said the moon to the wind
He
cannot whispered the horse
Why not? asked the moon to the
horse
It is not your place to say said the earth to all
To
say what? asked the rider to the horse moon wind and earth
Ride
on horseman said the moon to the rider
Nay said the rider
staring at the moon
You must insisted the horse with stirrups to
the side
I refuse said the rider taking to the ground
It
must be so trembled the earth below the rider
Continue said the
wind gusting at the riders face
I will do what I wish said the
rider taking to his aim
You cannot so soon bellowed the moon to
the rider wielding his rifle
Try and stop me hissed the rider to
the moon with a grin
You will miss whispered the wind to the
rider blowing in his face
Fall rider fall said the earth to the
rider shaking bellow his feet
Steady grumbled the rider to his
aim
Miss damn you screamed the horse whinnying at the
rider
Howl goes the wolf to the moon on the earth in the
wind after the horse
He arrives says the moon to the earth
Its
too soon says the horse to the wind
Stop the rider says the moon
to the earth and wind
Howl goes the wolf to the moon
Steady
is the riders aim as the trigger is squeezed
It’s not time
screams the earth wind moon and horse
To late the rider whispers
grinning to the sound of the bang
Howl goes the wolf
running to the kill
Calm becomes the wind
steady becomes
the earth following the wind
Low becomes the moon falling from
the sky
Why says the horse to the rider lowering his rifle
Ride
on says the rider mounting the horse
Its over says the horse
stirrups to the side
Howl goes the wolf chasing after the
horse
East Rider:
Faster
howls the wind to the tracker
Hurry yourself says the rain to
the tracker
Patience whispers the tracker kicking to the
horse
Just ahead says the moon peaking through the rain
Howl
goes the wolf far off in the distance
Time is running out
screams the wind in the trackers ear
Run cries the rain stinging
the trackers face
Deeply the tracker breaths kicking at the
horse
Bang goes the thunder far off in the distance
No
screams the moon with the rain and the wind
Its not to late
bellows the tracker pulling out the knife
Howl goes the wolf
disappearing in the night
Damn it all screams the tracker
jumping from the horse
Take haste scowls the wind to the tracker
in the rain
Silence yells the tracker to the wind and the rain
leaning over the warrior
Howl goes the wolf just beyond the
horizon
After him says the moon to the tracker clearing
away the rain
This one is mine curses the tracker throwing the
knife in the mud
Catch him screams the wind pushing the horse
and tracker forward
Howl goes the wolf, laughing at the
moon
South Rider:
Your
fate is sealed hissed the snake at the cowboy,
This is a fools
journey howled the coyote far off in the distance,
Give up is
all the moon said watching the cowboy from above.
Nothing
said the cowboy kicking his horse as he rode,
Fate will not
favor you responded the horse galloping forward still,
Turn back
rattled the snake striking at the horse,
He won’t be stopped
yelped the coyote chasing after the horse,
Silent was the
cowboy riding under the moonlight,
Bang echoed the gun far off
in the distance,
Even if you find him it is futile foreshadowed
the moon to the cowboy,
Not a word was uttered from the cowboy
on the horse,
Where you go is unholy ground moaned the
coyote,
No matter what happens you are mine hissed the
snake,
Whinny went the horse jumping over the snake,
Quiet
was the cowboy staring past the distance,
Know you no fear
screamed the moon fading behind a cloud,
Howl went the coyote
joined by his pack chasing the cowboy,
Silent was the
cowboy chasing a gunshot in the dark