Blues for Dreadhead Cowboy

Dreadhead Cowboy on brown and white horse,
Fueled by sadness and compassionate remorse,
So many children, once lovely, now dead
Many weep mutely; he rebelled instead.

His rebellion was born in a system unjust
When his car was pulled over in a police bust
Wrongfully charged with possession of gun
Held in jail banished from the sun

He was innocent/ it didn’t matter
A Black Man’s life is theirs to shatter
Stayed locked up ‘til they forced a deal
Months instead of years for them to steal

He got out striving for next chapter
To live a life free from capture
Uncle stepped in as vital mentor
Help young brother find his center

Introduced him to way of the horse
Path of the horse changed his course
Got cash money as exotic dancer
Brought the horse that made him grander

The Dreadhead Cowboy see him ride
Touch folk’s souls with every stride
He rides to bless folk with delight
Ride Dreadhead Ride/ make things right

One day overwhelmed by the news
Another child killed by black folk dues
He heeded the call of conscious cues
Leaps into action on oppression blues

He saddled up NuNu, his faithful steed
Pleaded with NuNu for strength he’d need
To save the children from death and despair
And shame those in power who fail to care

With the tick from lips and squeeze of his spurs
To fly like Pegasus with wings on all fours
NuNu took off like a bat out of hell
Or a condemned man escaping from jail

Usually he rode to spread good cheer
And to help the mayor with census year
But now with higher purpose he rode
Drawing strength from Black Cowboys of old

Kids lives matter, his protest chant
Astride his stead, his gallop elegant
Black folks heads turn, eyes open wide
The Dreadhead Cowboy’s protest ride

The Dreadhead Cowboy see him ride
Touch folk’s souls with every stride
He rides to bless folk with delight
Ride Dreadhead Ride/ make things right

He charges down the busy street
The concrete steaming in July heat
Hooves syncopate and ancient beat
Car horns bleat, tires screech

Down the entry ramp he goes
His destination no one knows
Or maybe they just don’t understand
A few miles closer to freedom land

The Dan Ryan Expressway fully disrupted
Car horns and curses from drivers erupted
The Dreadhead Cowboy didn’t give a damn
He was on mission from the Great I Am

Police car sirens join the chase
As traffic stops and stays in place
And suddenly clatter of NuNu’s hooves
Joined by Dread Cowboys packed like wolves

Are they haints or duppies or ghosts
Or regiment of ancestral hosts
Bill Pinkett, Nat Love and Deadwood Dick
Django, Bass Reeves and Seminole Rick

Proud posse kicks up concrete dust
Riding in formation of mutual trust
Bass Reeves leads/ keeps cops at bay
Buck and the Preacher ride and pray

The Dreadhead Cowboy see him ride
Touch folk’s souls with every stride
He rides to bless folk with delight
Ride Dreadhead Ride/ make things right

Ghost posse gallops 9000 strong
7.5 miles, all day long
Driving their stallions down Dan Ryan trail
Dreadhead fearless, even of jail

Kid’s lives matter, say it loud
Slave minds shatter/ we Black and proud
Black lives matter/ shouts the crowd
Racist haters scatter/ we ain’t cowed

Finally Ghost posse soars into air
All eyes fiery with rebellion flare
Freedom flight of the never dead
Enter into Dread Cowboy’s head

He chants a psalm in unknown tongue
Horse dances for battles to be won
Nunu pants in terror as cops draw guns
Dreadhead laughs madly/ blows kiss to the sun

I rode into history, the cowboy exclaims
Empowered by posse from ancestral plains
As cops apply cuffs that weigh like chains
The freedom I gained was worth the pain

The Dreadhead Cowboy see him ride
Touch folk’s souls with every stride
He rides to bless folk with delight
Ride Dreadhead Ride/ make things right