Harsh winds blowing as he rides
Into the night.
His hat pulled down over his leathery face,
Just to cover his eyes.
His oiled leather duster pulled up to his chin,
He hides himself from the cruel world-
As her love rescued him.
He loves her like no man,
And his love is expressed in his songs,
The ones he sings under the night sky
As he warms his hands over a blazing fire.
The quiteness of the open sky,
And the crackling of the fire,
He pulls his guitar out and plays.
In his song, there is sadness.
In his music there is love,
And the woman that he loves never hears.
He longs to be by her side,
Yearns to be in her arms,
But he knows that he never will.
His companions all laugh and joke
About the women that they will chase
In the next town,
But he only can think of her-
In the town he left behind.
His heart, he promised her,
And his love, he gave,
And as the cattle lull themselves
In the distant darkness,
His fingers strum and his voice-
Deep and emotional-
Sing of the love that he has found.
Her beauty is captured in this melody,
How she touched his soul,
And set it ablaze- brighter
Than the fire before him.
A tear escapes his green eyes,
And travel down his deeply lined face.
Knowing that when he returns,
It may seem like forever.
Alas, he has a job to do,
And he's a man of his word.
So, now he works in the darkness,
And tomorrow, she will be farther away,
Where he will not be able to hold
Her in his arms,
But tonight and forever,
She will be in his heart
And in his songs.
Robert J Nye (2007)
