Turkey Trot

A Thanksgiving Blessing

By: James John


Beautiful bird, all crispy and brown

When it’s time to eat they’ll all go to town

But first we must remember and thank

The people whose land we selfishly yanked


The Ballad of Turkey Cowboy

By: Jimmy Kudrik


A rusty saloon packed tight with outlaws 

Seeds in the trough and the sound of stout caws

With matted dusty feathers and hat pulled low

Turkey Cowboy saunters in, seeking his crow


With spurs on his heels and a badge on his breast

He’s now Cobb County’s sheriff, at the people’s behest

Because brawling and scavenging, pecking and plundering

The legend of Sam Crow’s spree has been thundering


Amid raucous piano and the smell of stale booze

Sam sat playing stud with some hawks and their crews

As brightly plumed hens stood by and clucked 

For the hawks were fast tiring of Sam's steady luck


That’s when Turkey Cowboy strode up to Sam’s table

The hawks keeping cool as best as they were able

Pistol Sam, he said, puffing his chest

In the name of Cobb County you’re under arrest


Sam raised his head slow, with his glass in his grip

And threw it at the turkey, who cracked it mid-air with his whip

At the same time Sam’s other wing pulled out his gun

But Turkey Cowboy whipped it away, 'fore he could fire one


The gun hit the ground, and up the hawks popped

Their guns drawn now too, and the music cold stopped

This man ain’t your friend, he’s been cheating you, see

Said Turkey Cowboy, hand him over to me


And then came a rooster with two pistols drawn

From his spurs to his beak, a mountain of brawn

If you want him you’ll have to take him from me

He said, when bounties are mine, ever more shall they be


No patron then stirred, not a scuff nor a peck

Prepared as they were to go down on the deck

Turkey cowboy seemed to count every feather on his foe

Then said with a grin, there’s one thing you should know


And fast as a flash he shot the cock dead

And whipped all three hawks’ guns without turning his head

I don’t do bounties I do justice you see

Because the law in this land starts and ends here with me


And he handcuffed the crow as quickly as that

And walked him away with a tip of his hat

And never again did a criminal dare

To enter Cobb County while Turkey Cowboy was there