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Wanted ManShe'd just started milkin' Bessie, when Tom walked in from the misthis boots were muddy...his clothes were messy, he had red marks on his wristsbut she kindly gave him a ladle, of homemade cream of wheatas she said grace at the table, his blue eyes swam in defeathis shadow seemed restless, even when he'd standcos from Lousianne to Texas, he was a wanted manthe sheriff skidded up one morning, scaring her hens from their roostsaid he was giving folks a warning, 'bout a prisoner on the loosebroken twigs and bent orange blossoms, led the posse near her townthey'd found two half-eaten possums, and he'd crippled two blood houndsTom's step-dad hit his mother, Tom killed him with his bare handsthe sheriff said one way or another, he'd catch that wanted manfrom way up in the lofthe saw the sheriff drive offthen Tom and her talked slow n softall day on a bale by the barnthen they kissed hard n rawmade love on a mattress of strawa cool wind smelled and saw the sweat on their backs n armshis touch was kind and tender, though he was a haunted manthe best love she could remember, came from a wanted manthat sheriff came back many timessaid his business was crimebut the first thing on his mindwas that pretty farmer galone day on her porchhe pinned her to the doorand Tom grabbed an old pitchforkfrom by the horse corraland if she hadn't slapped him, and ran that sheriff off her landTom surely woulda stabbed him, and been shot a wanted manin time the hounds stopped sniffin', Tom stopped sleepin' in her barn he thanked God for what he'd been given, on that lonely lady's farmone night he kneeled before her, in a moonlit cornrowcome sunrise they crossed the border, and married in Mexicothey returned and farmed the seasons, and he'd stare at his wedding bandcos love is the finest reason, to be a wanted man(c)2006 Robert George