Sodbuster Poem by David Welch

A sheriff I was in a small town,
seen fifty years, and earned no renown,
when Black Ken and his gang did come down
to Mick Callahan's big saloon.

He saw I was the only law here,
saw in my eyes a cold, quaking fear,
said, "Boys, relax, and be of good cheer,
take a lady up to her room.

"I think this town will work our just fine,
always wanted a place to call mine,
this lawman seems to have a good mind,
it not, then we'll just make his dead."

He had four men, and all were gun-hands,
I was alone, no posse would stand,
there was no power her in this land
to challenge what Black Ken had said.

So I just slunk bank, raised no challenge,
no others rose to bring back balance,
the west was no place for the gallant,
and power spoke with a loud voice.

Ken set his stake in the saloon dim,
and Callahan dared not challenge him,
to draw on Ken meant a future grim,
Mick felt he had no other choice.

A day went by, and a routine was made,
in the saloon they usually stayed,
for ‘protection' they made the girls pay,
ten percent tax on every John.

They next day they went out to the shops,
into their cup gold dollars were dropped,
a ‘small fee' so you ‘do not get shot'
from bandits ‘out there doing wrong.'

A week went by, and someone came by,
a sodbuster, supplies he did buy,
in the dry-goods store none met his eye,
"What's got all of you down? "said he.

Just them one of Black Ken's men arrived,
said, "Come on Hopkins, you know it's time, "
when Hopkins paid, Sodbuster said, "Why?
Who is he to claim your money? "

The thug squared up, and said, "Who is this?
Some two-bit farmer giving me sh-t?
Be nice and you'll live to regret it."
Hopkins and his wife just ducked down.

Sodbuster just stared with a blank face,
picked up his supplies, walked from the place,
the thug thought it an awful disgrace,
jeers and taunts then flew from his mouth.

But Sodbuster just walked to his horse,
tied up the packs, and cantered off north,
I feared we'd not see him anymore,
a wise man would flee such a scene.

But word came down, he stayed on his farm,
I feared for the man, felt great alarm,
knowing soon enough he'd come to harm,
Black Ken was nothing if not mean.

The days went by, and not that much changed,
Black Ken's gang ruled with orders deranged,
bled people's coin, every day the same,
and I could just stand by and look.

And when they seemed to grow bored with that,
they were surprised to see him come back,
the Sodbuster, with supplies to pack,
Ken looked at him, and his head shook.

"That man, somehow, has escaped out reach,
I think a lesson we should now teach,
his farm should not be that harm to seek,
Sherriff, where does that farmer live?

And I answered, to eternal shame,
"He has a spread, out past Bryson's range."
They smiled as if playing a game,
on in which no quarter they'd give.

When they rode out, I did turn my eyes,
I'd sentenced the sodbuster to die,
to try and save my own shameful life…
there was no justice in this place.

An hour passed, and then I heard shots,
at least Sodbuster gave it back hot,
a man who gave as good as he got,
would die with some pride, and some grace.

An hour on, Sodbuster rode in,
we all looked on, quite stunned to see him,
his face was bloody, his features grim,
his vest was torn up by a graze.

He rode to me, and said, "That Ken guy
and his bandits in my field do lie,
you and the mortician should swing by,
before the vultures have their play."

What that he went, had himself a drink,
said nothing, just let the townsfolk think,
What kind of farmer could do such things?
Then he just rode on out again.

The townsfolk kicked me out of my post,
I can't blame them, but then they did go
to Sodbuster, but he just said, "no, "
he sought no status amongst men.

Some people just seek their own ends.