Lawrence Hall, HSG
The Hanging of Jake Spoon
Nothing in his life / Became him like the leaving it
Macbeth I.iiii.7-8
At dusk. Heat. Heat and dust. Jake’s last slow ride
Words through a fog of fear, last words, slow words
Old pals and dead enemies on either side
Slow cooings and callings from unseen prairie birds
Smooth Jake, always good for a laugh and a drink
A ladies’ man, a gamblin’ man, a man of charm
Unreliable, yes, not one to pause and think
Tho’ he never meant nobody no harm
He suddenly spurred his pacer, making amends
His moment of nobility, to spare his friends
Lonesome Dove can be said to be The National Book of Texas.
