THE COWARD

 Jimmy was the youngest of all

and as innocent as he could be.

For others' fault he took the fall,

with bowed head he accepted destiny.

Jimmy was a lad of mere thirteen

and mocked by all as a coward.

He wanted to be free and clean

and roam the world as a free bird.

No one listens to a poor man's child

however innocent he may have been.

For missing money the owner went wild

Jimmy pleaded but couldn't come clean.

The stolen items was never found

still they abused his widowed mother.

The world seemed stopped going round,

No protest! He stayed a coward rather.

They threw him out of town

and burned down his house.

While the thief did not go down

Jimmy the coward fled like a mouse.

Time passed and Jimmy was forgotten

and also his mother left the world.

This cruel world was already rotten,

the time was ripe to be unfurled.

Jimmy by now was twenty four

feared through Texas by one and all.

An outlaw with rage and roar, and

a messiah on the poor man's call.

One day Jimmy rode into town

saddled in with his bandit men.

The onlookers' gaze sunk in frown

and Jimmy knew it was not in vain.

People whispered in gripped fear

while Jimmy walked towards his place.

Wept on his knees, eyes filled with tear

while his fiery bandits stood in grace.

The thief now older, came near him

while the town now stood still.

Jimmy looked back cold and grim

told his name and sent down a chill.

Jimmy dealt a blazing blow,

and the guilty hit the earth.

he looked up so they would know

he is back to claim his rightful birth.

While tears moistened his eyes

something in him burned like hell

A decade long fury in disguise

people from his face could tell.

Vengeance flowed, he went for the kill

and like the past people stood still.

'I am Jimmy', they heard him roar

innocent at heart but a coward no more!

Prasenjit©1997-2020