Reincarnation

[Texas Jim Henry, SASS #20616]

Received this in an email from an artist friend of mine today. Tickled my funny bone (confirming - perhaps - that I really am half a bubble off center), so thought I'd share it with my pards on the Wire. Enjoy!

 

Regards, TJH

 

Reincarnation

 

"What does Reincarnation mean?"

A cowpoke asked his friend.

His pal replied, "It happens when

Yer life has reached its end.

They comb yer hair, and warsh yer neck,

And clean yer fingernails,

And lay you in a padded box

Away from life's travails."

 

"The box and you goes in a hole,

That's been dug into the ground.

Reincarnation starts in when

Yore planted 'neath a mound.

Them clods melt down, just like yer box,

And you who is inside.

And then yore just beginnin' on

Yer transformation ride."

 

"In a while, the grass'll grow

Upon yer rendered mound.

Till some day on yer moldered grave

A lonely flower is found.

And say a hoss should wander by

And graze upon this flower

That once wuz you, but now's become

Yer vegetative bower."

 

"The posy that the hoss done ate

Up, with his other feed,

Makes bone, and fat, and muscle

Essential to the steed,

But some is left that he can't use

And so it passes through,

And finally lays upon the ground

This thing, that once wuz you."

 

"Then say, by chance, I wanders by

And sees this upon the ground,

And I ponders, and I wonders at,

This object that I found.

I thinks of reincarnation,

Of life and death, and such,

And come away concludin': 'Slim,

You ain't changed, all that much.'"

[Charlie MacNeil, SASS #48580]

Michael Martin Murphy has that one on his "Cowboy Songs" album, set to music. It's been on my mp3 player for years. Good song!

[Yellowhouse Sam # 25171]

Wallace McCrae wrote that I believe. Its one of my favorites to send friends on their retirement or other special occasion.

[Texas Jim Henry, SASS #20616]

Thank you, Charlie MacNeil and Yellowhouse Sam. Did some Internet searching and the poem is, indeed, the work of Wallace McRae. The email I received didn't indicate who the author was, or I would have given it proper attribution. Mr. McRae is a Montana rancher and well-known cowboy poet.

 

Regards, TJH

[Virgil Ray Hality, SASS# 37355]

That was a good and funny read.