Duke LaRance, who fancies himself as The Drugstore Cowboy poet resides on the High Plains of the Rocky Mountain Front in Montana. USA.  After toiling in obscurity and flying under the radar for nearly twenty years, his work took off in Facebook poetry sites, at his paid hangout, allpoetry.com, just two and a half years ago.  He has been published in three anthologies and considers his being published in impspired to be a very high point in his life.

Rainbow Stardust

Memorial Day Homily, 2022

We are Stardust, lit by Moonbeams
Blazing in our Patch of Sky
Always and Forever, I know
each time I look into your eyes

We Exploded in Fury 
at the Beginning of Time
now Floating Up in the Ozone
in Particles Sublime

I can’t help but to keep on looking
at the Sparkle and Shine that I see
we are just Rainbow Stardust 
Rainbow Stardust
Lit by Moonbeams, you and me

We Exploded in Fury 
at the Beginning of Time
now Floating Up in the Ozone
in Particles Sublime

When the Universe is Never
Never was and Never will be
we will still be Rainbow Stardust
Rainbow Stardust 
in Our Own Ozone, you and me

We Exploded in Fury 
at the Beginning of Time
now Floating Up in the Ozone
In Particles Sublime

We Exploded in Fury 
at the Beginning of time
now Floating Up in the Ozone
In Particles Sublime

Autumn of Life

Autumn of Life a change of Seasons
A time too short to pass so quickly away
I am afraid of that howling wind outside
I'm not ready for the icy blast of winter

Autumn of Life comes on so quickly
Whatever happened to the warmth of Summer Sun
I am afraid of that mocking Winter Wind
As it foretells the cruel time to come

Howling Winter Wind will chill you right down to the bone
In sharp rebuke to any dreams you thought you ever owned
The bell has sounded - time to wake to hard cold reality
Hear the Wind scream as it blows away your Dreams
You are finished - it has been a brutal ride
A short and brutal ride through the Seasons

Autumn of Life - time for reflection
Of wasted years of heartache and of pain
I cannot face the cruel blast of icy Wind outside
I cannot face another Sad Reflection

Look into the mirror - see the changes coming fast
What ever happened to the warmth of summer sun
I am deathly afraid of the portrait in the glass
I cannot face another Sad Reflection

Howling Winter Wind will cut you right down through your bones
In sharp rebuke to any dreams you thought you had ever known
Your bell's been rung - it's time to wake to hard, cold reality
Hear the Wind howl as it scatters all your Dreams
It is over - it has been a brutal ride
A short but brutal ride through the Seasons

A Grave Not Forgotten

Their young’un come down sickly
They could not get to town
The river wild and flooded
From all the rain come down
They come upon a building
Really just a shack
They settled in to brave the night
No moon, no stars, black

Sometime just before sunup
Jesus took their baby boy
Buried him in the prairie
With one small homemade toy
An old rancher heard the story
Built a fence around that place
Small marker, “Baby Rudolph”
Called on Home by Jesus Grace

I stumbled upon that grave one day
While I was punchin’ cows
I climbed down from the big red mare
Stood with my head bowed
Now every time I see that place
I know it was meant to be
That the boy is not forgotten
If remembered just by me