The Gunman

a death chime rang out
with spurred foot falls he approached
clink clink clink clink
a dark silhouette against a pale blue sky
his hat tilted with menace, with swagger
unscrupulous eyes like knives
his shoulders relaxed as rattlers
arms slung cool at his sides
though as water he appeared, they knew
but a twitch and hammer fall
and pistol and wide eye would see blue sky then black
the wind blew and the dust danced