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The Old West: the place to be

Remember the old west, toward where the sun sets?
Remember the guns, the cowboys and Stets?

Go west young man, some people were told,
Gee, were they right, or could they get old?

Go get your fortune, the gold's in the hills,
Girls of poor backgrounds, cheaply gave thrills.

West they did go, left mothers and brothers,
Sisters and uncles, left back in the druthers.

Cities in the East, college to go to; they all left,
For who knows what; All dangers they faced there.
Sometimes they arrived, their backs nearly bare.

They crossed the Mississippi, with many a scare,
They met kindly Indians, already living there.

They got along greatly, or would not have lived.
The Indians helped them, probably gave them some deer.

They kept right on going, made Oklahoma it seems,
They found there some rivers, and sometimes some streams.

Then they left the nations, kept persevering and going,
Headed for sunset, to get there some morning.

Finally got there, and what did they see,
Another great ocean, and a good place to be.

The hardships behind them, soon others began;
To take up the trip, to head West, young man!

Learn more about this author, Betty Jo Petty.
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