Poor Dumb Bastard

[couchgrouch]

Poor Dumb BastardHe hit town in a muddy white Fordstopped for tools at the hardware storesaid he just moved there from Laredoclaimed deed to a lonely patch of landthat was just brown weeds and sandtoo parched to even grow potatoessaid he'd make a go of ittill his savings was goneas he loaded his shovels and picksthe townfolk looking onwhispered, "poor dumb bastardhe don't know what he's doin'and if he don't wise upit's gonna be his ruinsome people letwishes be their masterbut don't waste your breathonly failure reasons witha poor dumb bastard"the first thing farmers need's a wellbut folks thought he'd find only hellcos the sun was hot but holes are hotterneighbors said it didn't make no sensehe dug up his land fence to fencewithout finding a shotglass of waterthey'd see his shovel workingin the orange glow of sunsetold crow perched on a power linesmelled the dusty Texas sweat of a poor dumb bastardwho don't know what he's doin'and if he don't wise upit's gonna be his ruinsome people letwishes be their masterbut don't waste your breathonly failure reasons witha poor dumb bastardthey thought he painted his pick-upwhen they saw him that daybut his old Ford was jet blackfrom a geyser's spraycos ground hides more than waterand the heart grows many plansnow his drilling rigsstand tall as his dreams once didand those who faulted that manfeel like poor dumb bastardswho don't know what they're doin'and if they don't wise upit just might be their ruinsome people letdoubting be their masterbut don't waste your breathonly faulure reasons witha poor dumb bastard(c)2005 Robert George