Big Bend is roped around the Rio Grande

that mighty grand river that snakes its way down down

from Colorado then meanders through New Mexico

carrying floodwater  rocks  stumps  bodies

all the way into the tip of Texas

where it changes direction in that big bend bowl

holding up the weight of West Texas

then finally makes up its mind which way it wants to go

and heads south on a dead run to Brownsville

forced by dams into in a little trickle by the time it gets there

spilling all its tacos and frijoles and the dust of west Texas

into the deep blue waters of the gulf of Mexico/

aint much left of wild Texas

but it's still on the Rio Grande especially in Big Bend

one of the last great places where things are still pretty much

the way they used to be   because

nobody lives here but desert rats and rattlers and horny toads

and all manner of spiny sticking things that either bite or sting

with mountain lions  bear  bighorn sheep  still running loose

among the smoky Chisos mountains and Mescalero hideouts

ghost canyons filled with legends of lost gold mines

and border wars and bones of those who didn't make it out

and if there were a wolf left in Texas he'd be there too

cause its so far off the beaten path there is no path

cell phones don't work nor radios

and neither do the people

because when you got heaven on earth what's the point

there is wildness in the air

with spaces so wide you can see forever

the big sky swallows up all the puny things of life

and the stars at night shine big and bright

and if you had to pick a place

where freedom ain't just a word

its found a refuge and is holding out

in the big  Big Bend  of Texas.