Legends from the old Wild West of America — outlaws, marshals, wooden wagons, Tombstone, Boot Hill — still are evident in the Southwestern United States. Many museums, roadside attractions, and small town businesses play with this enduring fascination. Links with the old west and Gold Rush days are still strong.

In today’s video, you will find manifestations of Wild West Lore. Some things are original, (such as the 1863 Knight’s Ferry covered bridge, built close to where gold was discovered in the 1849 California Gold Rush,) some are recreations of things past, and some just take the names of our famous/infamous history. In any case, they provoke images sure to entice and attract, and today you see them when you ride the trails (now roads) west of the Mississippi. The Legends live on.

NOTES ON THE LYRICS:
Song Title: Scene of the Crime
Poetic Form:  Lunes, created by American poet Robert Kelly, (1935-,) are three-line poems. Some call this poetic form the “American Haiku.” There are no rules regarding the Lune except the following:
The Kelly Lune has a pattern of syllables per line:  Line 1 = 5 syllables; Line 2 = 3 syllables, and Line 3 = 5 syllables.
A variation, the Collum Lune, has a pattern of words instead of syllables: Line 1 = 3 words, Line 2 = 5 words, and Line 3 = 3 words.
Both Kelly and Collum Lune forms are used in Scene of the Crime. The first three are Kellys, followed by the final three Collums.

Lyrics
The creeping coldness1
Finally
Silent, motionless

Hounded, tormented
Norma Jean
An age of young love

Recluse in her years
Unbelievable
White lily walls

============================2

Accustomed to curiosity3
Marilyn sleeps with you now
Dusty psychotic photography

Almost too quiet
An overworked kitchen kettle whistles
Bacon still sizzles

Silvia and Martin
Entered through the back door
Into this silence

Footnotes

  1. The first Line of a Kelly Lune has five syllables. The second Line has three, and the third has five. Compare this to a Collum Lune (Footnote 3.) ↩︎
  2. This song’s lyrics are divided into two parts — three Kellys and three Collums. ↩︎
  3. Line one of this Collum Lune has three words. The second Line has five, and the last Line has three. ↩︎

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