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Mining Poetry by Joel Tankersley
Valentine's Day
Out past the barn,
past the haystack.
I was burning some weed,
caution I lacked.
A little rosebud,
flamed like it should.
Caught on fire,
and fire but good.
The hays stack was burning,
slowly at first.
I threw some snow on it,
I stammered and cursed
The flames rose up,
like a monster I swear.
Out of control,
I must now declare
The belch of the smoke,
the height of the flame.
Snow I threw faster,
without any gain.
A cinder flew up,
and landed to harm.
A blaze was found,
on our only barn.
The barn was a'burning,
and it was a fright.
The horses blew out,
they were nowhere in site.
The sides were a'smoking,
what a bad ride.
I wish I was a mouse,
and I wish I could hide.
The haystack, it's on fire,
a hundred-foot flame.
Saddles a blazing,
and it wasn't tame.
The crack and the snap,
so hot you can spit.
The wind blew a spark,
on the house it now lit.
The flame on the top,
it up and took off and spread.
I knew for sure,
I was marked now for dead.
There in the big house,
was my loving babe.
Spreading some icing,
on a cake she had made.
For her loving man,
on this Valentines Day.
She looked outside,
saw the barn and the hay.
She came out of the door,
with her apron on.
Stepped in the snow,
on our frozen lawn.
Surveyed the scene,
for her blessed spouse.
In the corner of eye,
looked back at the house.
The house was now burning,
like hell it so seemed
My word, what a nightmare,
she let out a scream.
With a cry, not a gesture,
timber was groaning.
The next move she made,
wasn't the fire crew phoning.
With a leap on the porch,
so cat like so smooth.
With a glint in her eye,
with something to prove.
Like a pirate movie,
when they jump from their vessel.
Down off the porch with a Marlin,
a 32 special.
She cast eye down range,
smoke like the sea.
Through that haze,
she was looking for me.
I turned back again,
black was the sky.
The look in her heart,
I was now to die.
I ran in the snow,
out past the barn.
On towards the hills,
away from all harm.
My movements made,
she took her first shot.
A hole in my coat,
was all that I got.
She leaned on that weapon,
and she tried again.
Me making tracks,
one step in ten.
"Blam" went the Marlin,
with me pulling slack.
Clip was the feel,
I lost part of me sack.
Crack came another,
I fell to the ground.
A hole I was digging,
now China bound.
I laid in the snow,
I knew she was coming.
I was all out of breath,
I was tired of running.
There on my knees,
ready to pray.
For the sin, I committed,
on this very day.
The house was now gone,
and so was the barn
My Sweetness walked up,
like a West Texas storm.
A single round left,
in that rifle she packed.
20 below and in sweat,
that’s a fact.
She leaned on that Marlin,
the very last time.
Nothing to lose,
so I tried this final line.
Come on now Sugar,
it's Valentines Day.
Show me some love,
breathless I pray.
I got you some chocolate,
it's in the old truck.
My fingers were crossed,
hoping for luck.
Come on now Pumpkin,
it's only the haystack and house.
It's only the barn,
don't think me a louse.
Big tears I was pleading,
it's Valentines Day.
I love ya sweet baby,
what do you say?
Copyright Joel Tankersley
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