78 ǀ of unimproved mettle hot and full

afterward

Fortinbras tossed me by the wayside he did—

[For the others
I dare say
he tossed them too]

the scoundrel:

swallowing dust,
remembering.

You see—he was a drifter in those days,
& with a dash
of the Wildman in him
he lifted me up
by my balls
& chucked me over his head.

Hi there—I’m the Lasso from El Paso, he said—

[staring me down after each flip around,
preposterously cracking his whip]

Ya! Ya! Ya! Nice to meet you.

I’ve come here to give you
a little spinner, a little shine—

All right now? I ain’t gonʹ hurt you none.

Ya! There—you with me?

Oh, & I was dear brethren—I was.

[How could I not be?]

Then Fortinbras closed his eyes….
______

It was a sequel really.
It just went on.