Down by the Well (The Deaths of Billy and Sarah)

The horror in the still mornin’ air!

Down by the Well
(The Deaths of Billy and Sarah)

The bodies of Billy and Sarah,
Was found lifeless down by the well.
You could tell by the ground all around ‘em,
They fought hard before hearin’ death’s bell.

Billy was up early each mornin’,
Announcin’ himself to the dawn.
Sarah followed shortly thereafter,
And worked hard, outside of the barn.

The neighbours all said they was somethin’.
You could set your own watch by their toils.
Regular. Quiet. And humble.
They truly was one with the soil.

But that mornin’ last fall in the courtyard,
Will forever be burned in my brain.
I come across all the mess and confusion.
The ground was tore up and blood stained.

But I wasn’t the first person startled,
By the struggle put up in the yard.
Joe Binder was there with his hatchet,
Shakin’, and clutchin’ his heart.

“I come out of the house after hearin’
Billy’s cries in the still mornin’ air.
I figured that now was the best time
To finish things right then and there.

But when I started to chase after Billy,
Sarah come around hard to his aid.
So I had two of ‘em fightin’ to stop me
But they both succumbed to my blade.

Me and Ma figured their time was over.
And both were due for the pot.
So yesterday I bought two new ones,
To replace the two in the yard.

I just didn’t expect that much trouble.
And their end was a mess - that’s no lie.
I just haven’t the heart to remove ‘em,
So I left ‘em right there where they died.”

Old Joe was upset and still shaken,
So I picked the pair up right away.
I figured to pluck ‘em, and cook ‘em,
And have hot chicken stew the next day!

- Stephen Redgwell, 2015

Anyone who's never been in on a good chicken killin' ain't goan understand that, but .... so what? Good one.

Thank you gents. As my old friend Nelford used to say, "I'll never forget my first chicken. I just can't remember it good."