TAXI.com

Gold, Lead and TinSheriff Ross' town was booming with goldbut he'd grown old, his poor knees ached in the coldhe thought the only precious metals he hadwere shooting irons loaded with leadwhen men perished guarding that mine's payrollthe undertaker'd take their teeth of goldRoss wondered nights what it all was worthwhen men themselves were mined from the earththere's gold and lead and tinman and beast and finsome tell man hides a soul withinbut who can say, if they just fade awaylike water, fire and windFarmer Smith's wife left with a smooth card sharpso he'd chug jugs and tear up local barsRoss let him sweep up for a buck and a dimeto pay off the circuit judge's finewith his straw hat, straw broom and heart full of ryeSmith grasped at straws for reasons not to diebut the kindness of the sheriff's tin badgewas the shiniest reason Smith hadcos there's gold and lead and tinman and beast and finsome tell man hides a soul withinbut who can say, if they just fade awaylike water, fire and windtwenty rifles guarded the payroll that daythe bank was ripe with no eye peeled its wayshots rang out...a masked man hopped on a mareSmith grabbed a gun and hit him by the town squareSmith opened his coat and saw a star on his vestRoss choked only once...a lead mine in his chestSmith got a tin badge...Ross got tumbleweed wreathsand the undertaker got two more gold teeththere's gold and lead and tinman and beast and finsome tell that man hides a soul withinbut who can say, if they just fade awaylike water, fire and wind(c)2004 Robert George