Ride Through Fire Poem by Liilia Talts Morrison

They do not ever talk about
the time he rode to town
not even children whisper 'bout
the night it all fell down

He was a dark and weathered man
wore leather and rough boots
he bought a ranch a mile down west
and sought to set down roots

But town folks are a clannish crew
they didn't like his ways
he never bet or drank in bars
or passed the time of day

Twas way beyond the midnight hour
when a small posse crept
and headed west but soon returned
while all the village slept

They never found this weathered man
his horse or riding gear
among the ruins of that ranch
or where he disappeared

When wolves are howling in the hills
and moon its madness claims
a few from slumber wake in dread
to see him ride through flames

They do not ever talk about
the time he rode to town
not even children whisper 'bout
the night it all fell down.