A Cherokee Rose:' The Thorn'

In Texas pools where both water and laughter splashed
Little Deer and cowboy’s lips kissed; pressing and meshed
Their fresh new love still flowers, blossoms and grows,
but Fate has a thorn waiting for Cherokee Rose

Over the pooled water a thunderous sound was cast
as Little Deer saw her cowboy draw his breath of last
A bullet in his back came with the second of death’s flash
from three men on sorrels in a range war backlash

They galloped away leaving her in waters red,
holding her cowboy in rippled pool of the dead
Rain came in tears as a war song was grief sung
as she grasped for life in a body that was already gone

Standing over his mound, she heard a Lonesome Dove;
her belongings clenched in her arms; the Navajo rug she loved
Tears streamed down a cowboy’s widow’s sniffling nose;
as a painted pony rode the wind ‘neath a Cherokee rose

Saloon doors slung wide open in an ill breeze’s gust
as an Indian squaw walked in to kiss full vengeance’s lust
Three shots rang out that day in a Dodge City saloon;
flesh and metal clashed deadly in a gun smoke filled room

The sheriff stood at the bar in sudden fear to make a move
as Little Deer took one of the dead men’s boots to prove
"Eye for an eye under an Indian sky," as she left, said
Death of three marked a bounty for a Cherokee once wed

A painted pony rides ahead of a posse on her trail
As many days of dust and dirt and thirst for her prevail
The mountains of her Cherokee home were now in her view
while in her heart a sorrow stirred and continued to brew

Which way she would now turn she still did not know
as she thought hard about her fate over a fire’s glow
But like a magnet, her home pulled onto her broken soul
so reservation bound it was for a weary Little Deer’s goal

She rode into her village on heavy hooves; heavier heart
No peace pipes were being puffed; she knew that from the start
But soon from out a teepee a brave was tossed out on the ground
and next to him the pair of boots from a dead man was found

”'Eye for an eye’ it’s said; lost moccasins for these boots"
Little Deer cried out of avenging spirits and her Indian roots
Now on a Navajo rug in sadness; under a moon that still glows
She has returned to her homeland~ a heart crushed Cherokee Rose

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A Cherokee Rose

1)'Dream Catch her'
2)'Hunting Hearts'
3)'Indian Summer'
4)'Navajo Rug'
5)'Painted Pony'
6)'The Thorn'

Thank You wanton vixxxen for the exceptional edit and the time to add your spice to this tale/poem. The joint colaboration and work was long and you made it a joy as well as a marvelous poem, thanks.
Thanks cloudy for asking me to do a Cherokee rose!