Desert Rose

She was tall--tall and bronze--
Hair black as coal
Eyes that pierced
through a man's soul
As if to say,
"I'm here today, but soon
may fade away."

Cowboys knew her oh, too well
She was known as
"Desert Rose".
No one could say where
She spent some days
She would ride her horse
To a town many miles away.

Dressed in lady-like clothes,
She walked with grace
As though she would never age
For in her soul,
she was that young lady
Her parents loved so.

Hiding back her tears,
she walked through the door.
"Nurse, how are they today?
They must know I love them.
I wlll suffer any hardship
to keep them here."

The nurse sighed, "Goodbye, Dear,
for she knew the secret of
"The Desert Rose".