Survival In The Desert by Richard Reed Jr

My orders for the Army said to go to Fort Huachuka
The papers in my hand said report on Monday morning
I was to take a train to Hereford Arizona
A bus would take me out to camp but I got no fair warning

That Hereford was a one horse town only a way station
To an Eastern dude like me it only seemed so right
To show up early to what I thought was a town
And check into a nice hotel to stay there Sunday night

Three days the clicking clicking pounded steady in my ears
As o'er green mounds of camel backs and o'er flat pancake plains we went
As birds flew high above the ground sped 'neath our wheels
A journey made across our country dear and Uncle Sam paid every cent

The conductor screamed that fateful name
Hereford Arizona the dink town of the west
As the train rolled to a screeching halt my duffel bag and I got off
Into a place I surely thought must be some Godly jest

I stood on hard packed parched dry ground
Straggling bushes speckled a barren arid plain
If this wasn't Hell it surely was close-by
Surely here Abel was slain by Cain

It seemed a cup of coffee would lighten up my dampness
And add a bit of heaven to my soul
One small building painted by malicious moonlight
Beckoned me to take a little stroll

So I pulled myself together
And was quite well composed
'Till I got to that way station
The God damned place was closed

Moreover I was feeling very much constrained
Like some neglected crated pup
I had to do some business
That I could not do while I was standing up

I thought about what I had learned about survival training
And I knew there was no reason for me to show alarm
Since I was all alone here in this God forsaken desert
What in Hell could be the harm

Quickly I unsnapped my shiny brass belt buckle
My military pants fell to my polished shoes
I squatted like a primitive down to the desert sand
And did that dirty business which was long overdue

'Twas then I heard a sound that made me shudder
I never dreamed a more unlikely battle
There it was with head like fist and diamonds decked its back
A coiled up spring with darting tongue and a most ominous hard rattle

I had no sword I had no gun
and I was in a bad position
How was I to end this Mexicano stand-off
And complete my first hard mission

Just then fate became a kindly man
And in my situation intervened
An unfortunate prairie dog came by
And became my savior by becoming that snake's cuisine

The lightning speed at which I dressed
No one would believe
And even though my sorrow for that prairie dog was great
I surely had no time to sit and grieve

In a New York City minute
I was up and 'outta there
And for the next six months at Fort Huachuka
Thanks to God for that poor dog became my evening prayer

Prose-n-Poetry.com

Survival In The Desert
by Richard Reed Jr
copyright 12-20-2006

Age Rating: 7 to 127

Prose-n-Poetry.com

Survival In The Desert by Richard Reed Jr copyright 12-20-2006 Age Rating: 7 to 127

Survival In The Desert
by Richard Reed Jr
copyright 12-20-2006

Age Rating: 7 to 127