Ballad Of Joe And Rhonda, The Poem by Paul the Lion

From the deserts down in Oklahoma
Comes the story of Joe and his woman Rhonda
Joe was a tough cowboy who'd never admit
that he could enjoy life if he saw to it
He had grown to fancy life as an eloquent loner
viewing the outside world as obscure
And though he was terribly lonesome, he could endure
at least he was certain of that, he was sure
But all this was distorted the moment Joe saw her

Now Rhonda was a pretty girl
who'd had her share of twirls
She had long blonde hair in a sea of curls
and eyes alluring enough to send any man's spirits a swirl
However many roughnecks with her had crossed the line
she had grown weary of most Okie swine
Rhonda yearned to spilt for a different town
maybe then she'd quit feeling so down

So before she left in her beat jalopy car
she decided to have one last drink in a honky tonk bar
And as she walked into the saloon and found herself a stool
while taking all the swines' sexist remarks and ridicule
She noticed the cute guy she'd sat down next too
but he didn't notice her; it appeared as if he was feeling blue
The man was wearing an elegant necklace made of obsidian
and he looked to be at least half Indian

Joe heard the lady next to him say 'hi'
but he didn't even bother to reply
Joe was happy with just him and his whiskey
there was nothing else he cared to see
She tapped his shoulder and introduced herself as Rhonda
and then she asked 'so what's your name, fella? '
Joe drunkenly stared at her angelic face
while wondering what a girl like her was doing in this place

Their conversation was slow at first
and the talking didn't curb Joe's alcoholic thirst
But it picked up after Rhonda had a few
why they were drawn to each other, neither knew
To both their discourse seemed so sublime
all the way till closing time
They went back to Joe's place and became lovers
and Rhonda slept well under Joe's covers

In the morning she wanted Joe to come with her
but he wasn't so sure
Joe said he had a job waiting for him in Muskogee
though there were many other places he'd rather be
Rhonda said they should skedaddle together
to a place with less dusty, hot weather
She asked Joe if he wanted to go to Colorado
Joe hesitated, smiled, and said 'I reckon so'

So they moved to Denver
where they thought they'd live forever
They loved the Rockies' cool summer breeze
and with no roughnecks around life was at ease
Joe was in absolute unassailable bliss
and told her so every time he gave her a kiss
Rhonda thought he was a sweetheart
and prayed that he, unlike the others, wouldn't depart

However trouble soon arose
after Joe traveled down the path he chose
He was succumbing to fervent alcoholism
and he didn't want to admit it was getting the best of him
Rhonda remembered he used to be so tame
but now he just wasn't the same
She told Joe this, and he took it as shame
and told Rhonda to stop playing her game

She said that she was being misunderstood
she just wanted to help him out as best she could
Joe said, while he was no nobleman,
he certainly wasn't just another drunken Indian
He said he was never that great at maintaining companionships
and suggested that they end their relationship
Rhonda was startled by this and completely disagreed
she wanted Joe to stay and she didn't want to plead

He warned her that he would go
so one night Joe split for Idaho
without even telling her so
a note was the least he could owe
instead of leaving Rhonda in the Colorado snow
After this she felt so low
that she had no more man for her love to show
Why he left, there ain't nobody knows

Well they found her dead outside
and in her hand when she died
was a note that cried
'Fare thee well Joe, at least I tried'