Brotherly Brandin'

Brotherly Brandin’
　
A-headin’ and a-heelin’ furies they were
When they dallied and dragged a calf to the fire.
Josh and little brother Cayle Cooper
Were brandin’ hands without tire.

“Boys, watch them Cooper brothers work,”
The ranch boss’d say.
They were all business, but then again,
Everyone has their off days.

It all started one Sunday mornin’
When neither could hit their aim.
One would miss a horn, the other a hoof,
So bein’ brothers they laid blame.

“You’re not throwin’ long enough!”
Or, “Shake that loop out to size!”
But what steamin’ Josh did next
Caught everyone by surprise.

When they finally got one caught
It was almost in Cayle’s lap
And when Josh picked up that brandin’ iron
He set it down on brother’s chaps.

Now, in all my days a-watchin’
I’ve never seen a boy get so fired.
They went at it like brothers should
And neither of ‘em tired.

They was plumb covered in dirt and sweat and blood
When Cayle pinned big brother to the ground.
He let ‘em up with a satisfied smirk
And started lookin’ around.

“Where’d that iron go?” he asked
But stopped when he seen Josh’s eyes gone wide.
They found the iron when they peeled him up,
Square under his backside.

Josh bears marks of their encounter
And Cayle’s got a story to tell,
But we figure for bein’ brothers,
They work together right well!