Ballad of Innocent Jones
Dark and dreary came the night.
Shadows danced in the thin moon light.
By each shrub a danger seemed to lurk.
Each new sound caused his head to jerk.
Shadows danced in the thin moon light.
By each shrub a danger seemed to lurk.
Each new sound caused his head to jerk.
By every measure, a man on the run,
His eyes were wild, he had no gun.
Far back it had been lost in the glen,
a place he should never have been.
a place he should never have been.
He had been there for a secret meet
with his fair love he had hoped to greet.
with his fair love he had hoped to greet.
Instead encountered he a scene of dread
for there had laid his love, cold and dead.
for there had laid his love, cold and dead.
There startled, he stopped fast in his track
unaware of the approach to his back.
unaware of the approach to his back.
The blow, sudden, sent him sprawling.
Landing hard, sent to the ground clawing.
Landing hard, sent to the ground clawing.
Of this monster he was yet to see,
as his whole being fought to be free.
as his whole being fought to be free.
Then felt he the edge of steel so cold.
This was it, never he to ever grow old.
This was it, never he to ever grow old.
But then, his hand was upon his gun,
the fight not lost, nor was it yet won.
He yelled, “before my throat you cut,
show me your face if you have the gut.”
the fight not lost, nor was it yet won.
He yelled, “before my throat you cut,
show me your face if you have the gut.”
He was rolled over and the face to see
another shock, the best friend had he.
another shock, the best friend had he.
No time to comprehend, a shot he fired.
The bullet plopped, into the brain it mired.
The bullet plopped, into the brain it mired.
Free of dangers grip, he looked around
and there lay two bodies upon the ground.
and there lay two bodies upon the ground.
Still in terror’s clutch, the knife he grabbed,
the knife by which his love was stabbed.
the knife by which his love was stabbed.
He then realized, who would understand,
it was not he the cause of how it all began.
it was not he the cause of how it all began.
Then faintly was heard, a bark, a voice,
“Who goes there?” It left to him no choice.
“Who goes there?” It left to him no choice.
He quickly dropped the knife and gun.
Into the black water of the swamp to run,
the hounds were howling the chase begun.
Full of fear he thought to never see the sun.
the hounds were howling the chase begun.
Full of fear he thought to never see the sun.
His love forever gone, tears began to flow.
They would never understand, never know
it was not he to blame, but his best friend
by whose cruel jealous heart had sinned.
They would never understand, never know
it was not he to blame, but his best friend
by whose cruel jealous heart had sinned.
Then behind he heard a shout loud and clear,
“Stop where you are if you hold life dear.”
“Stop where you are if you hold life dear.”
He abruptly turned to whose face to see
none other than the father of his bride to be.
“You killed her, dam your soul to hell.”,
were the last words to his ear to hear,
then something entered front to back
simultaneously felt and heard the crack.
none other than the father of his bride to be.
“You killed her, dam your soul to hell.”,
were the last words to his ear to hear,
then something entered front to back
simultaneously felt and heard the crack.
As his body crumpled toward the ground
he gurgled and tried to make a sound
he gurgled and tried to make a sound
But only in his final thoughts to be
came a silent, “It was not me, not me”.
came a silent, “It was not me, not me”.
John Mullinax May 2012
