Black Hats And White Hats Poem by David Harris

A long time ago on the silver screen
all villains wore black hats
while the good guys wore white ones,
so audience knew who was who.
Pecos Pete was a villain with a curly black moustache
and his arch enemy was Unlucky Billy Moran.
As every story should have a lady
and in this one she is a flame haired beauty
called Lulu-Belle Watson.

Our story starts during the California Gold Rush of 1849
when Lulu-Belle’s father journeyed
to California to stake a claim.
He was one of the lucky ones and made a fortune.
He hired Unlucky Billy to escort his daughter
from New York to California.
There she could enjoy all the wealth he had found.

Pecos Pete heard what Unlucky Billy was doing
and made plans to kidnap Lulu-Belle for ransom.
He knew what route they would take
from trails end where the railway finished.
On his horse Gammy Leg, Pecos Pete rode out
to find the perfect spot for the ambush.
He found it where the road narrowed in a small wood.

Dismounting he tied Gammy Leg to a tree
and then position himself on the other side of the road.
He climbed a small tree and waited.
Several hours went by and Pecos Pete fell asleep.
He woke up suddenly at the sound of a woman’s voice.
He looked down the trail and there they were
Lulu-Belle and Unlucky Billy.

When they got closer he waited for the right moment
and tackled Lulu–Belle off her horse,
but in the process lost his gun.
He and Lulu-Belle rolled around in the dust
until Billy dismounted and dragged him off her.
They fought for a few minutes
knocking each other to the ground.
Lulu-Belle found Pete’s gun and fired into the air.

Both men stood up and looked at the fiery Lulu-Belle.
First she asked Pecos Pete what he was going to do.
He told he planned to kidnap her for ransom
and then ravish and seduce her as well.
She then asked Unlucky Billy
what he planned to do.
He told he was going to take her safely to her father.

Holding the gun at the two men
she pulled the trigger
and watched one of them fall,
but who did she shoot, was it Pete or Billy?
Was it the one who would ravish and seduce her
or was it one who would respect her honour?
For the answer I will let you decide.


10 May 2014