There is a fable that lives in legend and lore
A parallel story: a modern day tale versus a saga-days gone fore
Of two men in conflict with right and wrong
A battle of wills-weak against strong
and the perils of:
Retribution
High on the mesas, in the Arizona desert-along the trails and wind-blown byways
A SUV drove on rocky roads, across ancient Pueblo highways
A few days of R&R for our hard-working lawyerin' pair,
Some long overdue time to explore the flora and fauna growing there
Our fair Marine, who's hobby is odd
Looking for ichnites in the harden rock and petrified sod.
With the handsome pilot turned-lawyer at her side
Into the canyons of Agua Fria they would ride
……………………………………..To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day
Hardly spoke to folks around him, didn't have too much to say,
No one dared to ask his business, no one dared to make a slip
The stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip,
big iron on his hip ………………….
Our duo camped in the caves and under star-lit skies
Under the sleeping bags, coyishly, they would play and hide
As night faded into brand new day, somewhere at the break of dawn,
Our dear Mac would wake, stretch and yawn
"Wake up! You squid, you sleepyhead", laughter in her tone
It's time to go searching for ichnite tracks and dinosaur bones.
With a smile a mile-wide, blue-green eyes stating what Harm could not speak
A kiss on the lips, from his Sarah-he would seek.
They gathered their things and planned for a hike.
Each aware that they were very much alike.
Up the trails, around rocky bends, higher they climbed in search of the remains,
Some time to be together, some time to unwind on the Agua Fria plains
Suddenly a fear, a strange sensation tingled down Harm's spine
A warning, a caution that all in the canyon was not fine.
…………………………………….It was early in the morning when he rode into the town
He came riding from the south side, slowly lookin' all around
"He's an outlaw loose and runnin'", came a whisper from each lip
"And he's here to do some business with a big iron on his hip,
big iron on his hip"……………………….
High canyon walls blocked the urgent radio newscast,
Breaking News -Escaped from the Federal prison in Safford, the night before last
Three desperate in-mates, evil prisoners at best.
As escapees, they ran and hid into the desert canyon below, on-the run- no time for a rest.
A decision was made between these notorious three,
Into different directions-each would flee.
One to the north, and Canada-bound,
One to the east, a plan to hitchhike and drift around.
The leader was vicious and mean as the outlaw Texas Red.
A six-shooter gun hung on his hip with six bullets made of lead.
A modern day outlaw, he chose to hide among the ancient Agua Fria towns,
Waited for the manhunt to end, the police search to wind down.
…………………….…..In this town there lived an outlaw by the name of Texas Red
Many men had tried to take him and that many men were dead
He was vicious and a killer, though a youth of twenty four
And the notches on his pistol numbered one and nineteen more,
one and nineteen more ……………………
……
"Here, "itch"nites! Here boy! Here dinosaur!" Harm mocked with a laugh.
A smug look from Mac-Her lack of amusement was for his behalf.
Winds began to blow from the westerly side, a sudden thunderstorm took hold:
Together they ran, shelter to seek-out of the weather, the rain and the cold.
"Quick!", yelled Harm as the rain poured from the sky, "Into the old dwelling, the one on the right"
Flash of sharp lighting, Loud bang of the thunder's sound, the passing of ominous storm clouds.
A scream of discovery from our fair Marine that was painfully loud.
Deep inside the dwelling, hidden from the outside-A face from the past appeared.
"Palmer" yelled Harm, "What are you doing hiding here?"
……………………………….Now the stranger started talkin' made it plain to folks around
Was an Arizona ranger, wouldn't be too long in town
He was here to take an outlaw back alive or maybe dead
And he said it didn't matter that he was after Texas Red,
after Texas Red ……………………
Escapee Palmer smiled with an evil glee,
"From the Federal prison at Safford, My buddies and I did flee".
Palmer and Rabb: notorious nemeses , bitter enemies, detested foes.
Rabb's questions to answer "Will justice prevail?" "Will justice oppose?"
Deep in Harm's soul -a revenge from years past, a hate he could not ignore.
Palmer now challenged, "Now, Rabb, we must settle the score"
…………………………….….Wasn't long before this story was relayed to Texas Red
But the outlaw didn't worry, men who tried before were dead
Twenty men had tried to take him, twenty men had made a slip,
Twenty one would be the ranger with the big iron on his hip,
big iron on his hip ………………
A chase ensued in the ruins of Agua Fria.
Through the dwellings and hideaway, in pursuit, neither would tire.
A desperate Palmer turned and fired, two shots rang out.
His aim compromised, his motives without doubt,
To end one Navy Commander's life:
By fist fight, a single bullet from a gun or a sharp hunting knife.
………………….……….Now the morning past so quickly and it was time for them to meet
It was twenty past eleven when they rode out in the street
Folks were watchin' from their windows,
every body held their breath,
They knew this handsome ranger was about to meet his death,
about to meet his death ……………….
"Mac, take cover" Harm yelled in his plea.
"I'm in the far corner." replied Mac, "Behind the fallen tree".
Bullets whizzed by, nearly missed their mark
A battle of wills between two desperate men would embark
Another flash of the lighting, sharp was the light,
"Harm, Look out, screamed Mac, "Palmer is over on your right!"
Suddenly a shot rang out, Harm quickly spun,
Into the darkness, Palmer again fired his gun.
Bullets flew by and lodged in the rocky walls,
Palmer managed to slip away down a darken hall.
………………………………….There was twenty feet between them
when they stopped to make their play
And the swiftness of the Ranger still talked about today
Texas Red had not cleared leather when a bullet fairly ripped
And the ranger's aim was deadly, with the big iron on his hip,
big iron on his hip ………………….
Palmer doubled back, Up from behind her-he silently moved.
His arms grabbed Mac, Once again, Palmer was smarter than Harm, his reasoning proved.
"Harm!", Mac tearfully cried. Palmer held her tightly and whispered "My freedom to bargain, Dear Sarah, you're my hostage to trade"
Palmer aimed his gun at her back, Mac humbly prayed.
With terror in her eyes, She pleaded with Palmer to set her free.
She winked at Harm and kicked Palmer in the groin with her knee.
Harm moved fast and tackled these two.
They rolled and fought, Harm in a heroic effort to subdue.
Reached for the six-shooter gun, "Bang! Bang!" two shots rang out in the dark,
The last two lead bullets from the gun hit their mark
Harm pulled backwards, Mac still in Palmer's embrace, he clenched her with all his might.
Mac cried out in horror, blood was everywhere-Palmer was mortally shot in this fight.
……………………………It was over in a moment and the crowd all gathered 'round
There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground
Oh, he might have went on livin' but he made one fatal slip
When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip,
big iron on his hip ………………
He mustered all his remaining strength as he bled to death.
Palmer looked into Mac's pleading brown eyes, and whispered to her with his last dying breath
"How will you ever love man who kills in cold-blood?" He asked wryly
"How does it feel to hold a man's life in your arms?" He stated dryly
"Sarah, Will you ever forgive?"
"While you watched as one man dies and one man lives."
Inside of Sarah's torn soul was terror and tears
Her mind reeled of panic and fear
"Harm" she wept out and reached for his hand
Gone in an instant was all they had worked for, all that they planned.
……………………………Big iron, big iron,
Oh he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip…………….
With his last gasp of air, Palmer exhaled a most sinister call
His evil laughter echoed high above the Agua Fria canyon walls,
Westward winds carried the deluded cry thru out the ancient Pueblo towns
Scaring the animals and birds with its nefarious sound
Over the Arizona mesas and mountains, higher and higher the laughter rose
Palmer's last words lingered, the meaning well-chose
"Rabb! Your revenge will always be bittersweet. Vindication is mine"