Fool finally realizes why the marshall
deputized him and then blew town.
First thing he’ll have to do is buy
a gun—fast—then learn how to use it,
then try to round up some help. Trouble is
there’s only an half an hour before Miller
and his three goons arrive. And nobody
seems concerned about his plight. Many have
already gathered to watch the show. One guy’s
vending sandwiches. It’s too late to run.
If he dressed as a housewife or a granny,
somebody would probably give him away.
But surely Miller will see that Fool’s not
the guy he’s vowed to kill. When the moment
arrives, Miller says, “You ain’t who I’m
lookin’ for, but you’ll do.” Fool, playing
his last card, shouts, “I’ve got the plague,
and when your bullets hit, get ready for a dose
of plague spray, head to toe. See you
on Boot Hill, boys.” When the outlaws flee,
the crowd feels relieved at first, then let down,
till they get to watch Fool cleansed in a bonfire.
- Fool at High Noon - May 15, 2020
- Still Life - September 13, 2019
- Five Poems - May 8, 2018