Monday,  Music,  News

Coward of the County

November 18, 2019 / 15 Comments

“Sometimes you gotta fight when you’re a man”

I got a new gimmick you guys! Monday is always about music for me, but instead of just sharing the songs, I’ll be including a short story or poem which I wrote while listening to it. So please watch out for anything with “inspired” in the title every Monday.

Today, here’s a touching song from Kenny Rogers… I grew up listening to it from my father’s tape and it still makes me want to cry…

Watching the TV movie right now.

Lyrics:

Everyone considered him “the Coward of the County.”

He never stood one single time to prove the county wrong.

His mama named him Tommy, the folks just called him yellow,

But something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong.

He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison.

I looked after Tommy cause he was my brothers son.

I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy:

“Son, my life is over, but yours is just begun.

Promise me, son, not to do the things I’ve done.

Walk away from trouble if you can.

Now it don’t mean you’re weak if you turn the other cheek.

I hope you’re old enough to understand

Son, you don’t have to fight to be a man.”

There’s someone for everyone. Tommy’s love was Becky.

In her arms he didn’t have to prove he was a man.

One day while he was working the Gatlin boys came calling.

They took turns at Becky… there was three of them.

Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky crying.

The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand.

He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy’s picture.

As the tears fell on his daddy’s face, He heard these words again

“Promise me, son, not to do the things I’ve done.

Walk away from trouble if you can.

Now it don’t mean you’re weak if you turn the other cheek.

I hope you’re old enough to understand

Son, you don’t have to fight to be a man.”

The Gatlin boys just laughed at him, when he walked into the barroom.

One of them got up and met him halfway cross the floor.

Tommy turned around they said, “Hey look, old Yellow’s leaving!”

You could heard a pin drop when tommy stopped and locked the door.

Twenty years of crawlin’ was bottled up inside him.

He wasn’t holdin’ nothin’ back, he let ’em have it all.

When tommy left the barroom not a Gatlin boy was standing.

He said, this ones for Becky, as he watched the last one fall.

Twenty years of crawlin’ was bottled up inside him.

He wasn’t holdin’ nothin’ back, he let ’em have it all.

When tommy left the barroom not a Gatlin boy was standin’.

He said, this ones for Becky, as he watched the last one fall.

And I heard him say,

“I promised you, dad, not to do the things you’ve done.

I’ll walk away from trouble when I can.

Now please don’t think I’m weak, I couldn’t turn the other cheek,

Papa, I sure hope you understand:

Sometimes you gotta fight when you’re a man”.

Everyone considered him the Coward of the County.

Have a great week ahead! ❤️

Jessica / Jessie Winterspring is a time travel romance fanatic who loves writing fiction about ordinary people with extraordinary experiences. She blogs music inspired stories, poems, micro-fictions, moments in life. She enjoy spending time outdoors, adore animals and traveling with her family. She like anything unusual and fun. CLICK HERE to read more about her or CLICK HERE to view her books

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