The Showdown Poem by Joe Hughes

The Clampetts were twins - the identical kind.
There was Jed he was vicious, no charm.
But then there was Bill, full of humour - yes kind.
Spent his time looking after the farm.

Jed had burned a wild trail through the West's frontier towns.
He had robbed, he had murdered, then run.
But Bill had got married to Jenny Mc Graw,
Spent his time having daughters, yes sons.

Sheriff Hardy had spent twenty years on Jed's trail.
He had cornered him now at Bill's farm.
But Jed was away rustling cattle - not knowing
That brother Bill was in imminent harm!

Sheriff Hardy crept up to the barn at the back.
He found Bill who looked just like Jed.
Then mistaking Bill's pitchfork for a neat forty four
Hardy's bullet shot Bill stone cold dead!

Sheriff Hardy slung the body across his great saddle,
To proclaim justice finally been done.
But news of Bill's death reached Jed on the plains
Where he readied himself with his guns.

Jed Clampett rode on through the wind, yes the rain
Till on main street he met Hardy standing tall.
Hardy thought Jed's ghost had returned to the town
So he shot him, watched him stumble then fall.

Then a cry it rang out from a bystanding cowboy -
'You had shot the wrong man at the farm! '
Sheriff Hardy looked round as he stood over Jed
With his gun still smoking - still warm.

In the crowd stood Bill's wife with his daughters, his sons
As the guilt spread through Hardy's huge frame.
He realised then the great error he'd made -
There was only himself now to blame.

Two men now lay dead, two lives had been shed,
When only one of them should have been shot.
So Hardy looked at his gun as he raised it head high
Then blew out his own brains on the spot!