New Classic Poems – Contemporary Verse That Rhymes

New Classic Poems
Then and Now
The Ballad of Trapper McGrew
Mary McIntosh
The night it was dark, the moon did not shine.
The winter wind howled through the trees.
He groped through the storm to the light just ahead.
His breath came in gasps, then did freeze.
His clothes were the garb of a man from the north.
In the cold winter days he'd lived long.
His boots showed the scuff, of days that were rough.
His notched gun showed those he'd done wrong.
With one burst of strength, he pulled open the door
To the Fur Trap Saloon, for a brew,
Some warmth, and a bed, a song of good cheer,
And maybe old Trapper McGrew.
McGrew's face turned white as he put down his drink
And slowly he turned from the bar.
For there stood the man who had hated him most –
The man known as Jonathan Starr.
The man at the player-piano did stare,
And the barmaid stood still on the floor.
The bartender shouted, "Get out of here now,
Or I'll bust you right out of that door!"
The man known as Starr strolled quietly on,
And stood himself tall at the bar.
"Hey, barmaid!" he yelled, "bring me two beers.
Bring them quickly to Jonathan Starr!"
As Trapper was silently staring ahead,
He saw his sweet Lila Germain.
She walked toward Starr, with a frown on her face,
And said, "Do you have to remain"
Starr turned on his heels, with a look of surprise,
As Lila stood quietly there.
"Get out of my sight!" he yelled right in her face,
"You with the long flowing hair!"
Now Trapper did walk, while Starr still did talk.
He knew it had gone much too far.
He pulled on his beard, for what he most feared
Was fighting off Jonathan Starr.
Starr pulled out his gun, as Trapper did too.
'Twas time now to settle the score.
Shots sounded out loud, as they fired in the crowd,
And one of them fell to the floor.
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