Honor & Cherish

We men tend to be easy targets for a woman on the prowl. It’s an age-old, depraved weakness in our nature that causes us to notice a woman - especially if she pays some attention to us. Fortunately, God straightened me out and, along with the help of some authentic men, I learned to cherish the gift he gave me in my bride.

This horseback cowgirl is keeping an eye on her man. It strikes me that she has a purpose; her face suggests you'd best not be standing in her path. She's probably not going grocery shopping, but she might be getting a good rile on that she's fixin' to get handled right quick.

Honor & Cherish

We all came to town every Thursday
We said it was just for supplies
But, truth be told it was for socializin' too
A thing I long ago came to realize

Typically our cook drove the pickup
For gatherin' up his kitchen wants
My bride and I rode in a'horseback
Splittin' up briefly to our favorite haunts

Lilly usually stopped at the mercantile
Or for gossipin' at the ladies store
Me I went to see pards at the Broken Spoke
The latest, local goins-on to explore

So yesterday I'm finishing my first beer
After swapping lies with my ol' pard Ty
When this painted-up filly orders a drink and
Starts in a'starin' and givin me the eye

I turned my back to her easy-like
Not wanting to be impolite or rude
But I learned about temptation long ago
Nip it quick to avoid feelin' lewd

Well that didn't curtail this Jezebel none
She just waltzed around to my other side
Now I'm on the downhill side of fifty
Long past havin' good looks in my pride

I'd never seen this gal before
And ours is a known-for-friendly town
So I tipped my hat in a howdy gesture
Then she asks me to show her around

"Well ma'am here's what I'm thinkin'
That probably wouldn't be wise
No question you're mighty pretty and all
But ain’t no way I'm tryin' you on for size"

“See, I gave my word to my bride
Did so before her Dad and God
Sure, you might be a brief diversion
But, please, just stop givin’ me the prod”

"Whoa hey! You are persistent aintcha?
I'll give you that attribute well enough
But you might be a little hard a hearin'
Sorry ma'am, NO, I'm givin' you a rebuff"

"But if you won't take my 'no' for an answer
Then I've another suggestion for you
I'm thinkin' after you've done it
You'll rustle up someone else to pursue"

"See that long, tall, blonde a’horseback
Sittin' outside those batwings on that bay?
Yep that's her a'watchin' on us
She might have something to say"

"Mosey out and tell her what you're proposin'
Have yourselves a little, girl-to-girl chat
Come back and tell me her comments
That is, if you can still walk after that"

Now I'd never before been one
To ask my wife to stomp my snakes
But I'm not a hand at fightin' wimmenfolk
Comes a time a man's gotta do what it takes

Well you might’a guessed it
Miss Stranger never did go see Lilly
Cuz when she saw my wife stridin' at her
She cut a trail out the back door willy-nilly

Laughing, I gave Lilly a big hug
And then kissed her long like a scandal
She asked, "Having some trouble Hon?"
"No Darlin', nothin you cain't handle!"

Now I'm not a wisdom-filled sage
So I don't normally give men advice
However there is one thing I'll share
Without having to think about it twice

If you've been blessed to have
One of God's daughters hitch up with you
Guard her love and trust with your life
It's shore-'nuff what He's told us to do

We husbands on our wedding day
When we were all excited at our victory catch
Vowed to Love, Honor and Cherish
It's how we keep our God-given match

by Rik Goodell

© 2023 All rights reserved

This beautiful painting is by Clark Kelly Price.

To see more of his work, go to his website:

https://clarkkelleyprice.com/