Gunslinger's bible story

Gunslinger’s bible story

The flat-stone at the well is a doorframe

To tranquillity, a liminal place,

Where a girl may acknowledge her hero;

The well, a meeting place for the village,

Gives time to schmooze, to form first impressions;

Three women met their true loves by a well;

I know Rebecca bore a water jar

Filled full with fresh spring water from the well;

When she gave Abraham’s man Eleazer

A sip and watered his kneeling camels,

He selected her to be Isaac’s bride.

I know Rachel, whose name means ‘ewe’, walked sheep

To the well in the field where Jacob stood;

He was so smitten he rolled on his own

The heavy flat stone from the deep well’s mouth;

In a blink Rachel fell in love with him;

Jacob kissed her, lifted his voice, and wept.

I know Zipporah, a Midianate,

Met Moses at a village well;

He dealt with the shepherds who tried to stop

Her drawing water for her father’s sheep;

Her father Jethro asked him to break bread.

Three women met their true loves by a well.

Like Rowdy Yates, I waited by the well,

A step of true biblical proportions;

I wore a black waistcoat, chaps, a black hat,

Bandana, holster, belt, metal buckle,

leg ties, two six-guns, and a Winchester;

I was rawhide and gunslinger in one.

I know Jacob dressed up in Esau’s clothes;

Joseph wore a coat of many colours;

The Pharaoh dressed him in a linen coat;

Tamar dressed herself in a veil to trick

Judah into fathoming her cold womb;

But I was not suited up to deceive.

She came to fill her bucket at the well;

I wanted her to join my cattle drive;

She had not a sip for me or my horse;

Like Joseph was supposed to be I was:

Torn to pieces; she could not hear my heart;
Aged twelve, I learned to listen, not just see.