CHILDHOOD'S END
By Rusty Calhoun, Chandler, Arizona
Our innocence is gone,
Our childhood dreams are dust.
The cowboys that graced the silver screen
Will no longer ride with us.
Hoppy, Gene and Roy are gone
And now Miss Dale is too.
The Lone Ranger left, some years back
Now our heroes are so few.
Guess there's Arnold, also Bruce.
There's Norris and there's Sly,
But those heroes seem to kill and maim
And never bat an eye.
My heroes all wore white hats.
Only drew their guns to scare.
They saved the damsel in distress
Then bowed their heads in prayer.
Silver, Trigger, Buttermilk and Champ
No longer ride the range
Like they did with me and my horse Hap,
My God, this world is strange.
Yesterday my cowboy heroes
All wore shiny stars!
Now bad guys seem to outnumber the good
And you're apt to get shot in your cars.
Guess I'll go to the movies
And watch the good guys ride
Across the range and through the draw
I'll be gallopin' by their side.
For I never want to let go
Of the things that I know best
One of which is they just don't make 'em
Like they did in the Golden West.
