Washin’ the Laundry
This poem is from Ed Keenan,
author & cowboy poet

Inspired by a real life story and how all families tend to have a way of tellin’ their family history.

 

We learn’t a lot from Grandma Jesse
About our family history
She was into family genealogy
Uncoverin’ every mystery

Like the famous cowboy in Arizona
He was surely our Uncle Lewis
Acquirin’ valuable equestrian assets
He was renown and very famous

Had intimate dealings with the railroad
Where his reputation grew
And gave his life in government service
That’s what the family knew

And it seems about a hundred years ago
Along about 1885
He left his life of government service
When he was twenty-five

Very important to the Pinkerton Agency
And dealings with the railroad
But at a civic function held in his honor
Uncle Lew’ laid down his load

A platform collapsed and he passed on
As his reputation was renown
He was sayin’ a few words to the crowd
And the officials of the town

Grandma was very proud of her son
Goin’ back to territory days
It took a mighty good man to make it
So she bragged about his ways

‘Til someone found a faded news clip
With a picture and some print
About catchin’ a famous horse thief
While he was tryin’ to sprint

Well it turns out to be Lewis Delpy
Our famous Uncle Lew’
And there’s no doubt about his character
One that everybody knew

The title read: ‘Lewis Delpy Horse Thief’
Put in prison in Patagonia
Escaped in ‘87 and robbed the Santa Fe
Out near Williams Arizona

Caught by two Pinkerton detectives
With hobos ‘neath the rail line
He’s pictured standin’ on the gallows
When he was hanged in ‘89

Funny how families remember history
And how they move the boundary
So it’s no wonder that Grandma Jesse
Was so good at washin’ laundry

Ed Keenan © 05-03