Buffalo Gals
Deadwood, 1876
In territory swarmed by men
the Gold Rush brought more than fortune hunters.
The Utter brothers rolled in
with a wagon of sporting women.
Wild Bill with his shoulder length curls
and puffing on a cigar rode along beside.
In the wake of this wagon train Brothels proliferated –
The Gem
Fern’s Place
The Cozy Door.
New governor and sheriff, a crackdown on crime
ignored the painted ladies.
The law couldn’t see the slow violence
of this hard life –
beatings and laudanum
hooch and opium
pregnancies and their ends,
bad breath, body odor, and diseases.
Dr. Howe kept a stomach pump in his Gladstone.
15 thoughts on "Buffalo Gals"
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Dang, E.E.! A wonderful poem with stinging and savage ending. This dark history needs telling.
Thank you so much, Kevin, and I agree. Prostitution continued in Deadwood, SD until 1980, even though it had long been illegal.
Good storytelling.
I like Dr. Howe’s stomach pump.
Thank you, Jim.
I’m reminded of the song – Buffalo Gals, won’t you come out tonight. This poem is magic! Deft hand at details – and the stomach pump is a bonus. Keep telling the stories!
And yes, Sylvia, the song, “Buffalo Gals,” which we sang as kids first appeared in the 1840s in “minstrel shows,” and it was about prostitution! Glad you liked my rendition. Thank you so much.
especially love the images (“Wild Bill with his shoulder length curls”) and the syntax (“and puffing on a cigar rode along beside”)
Thank you so much, Gaby. Yes, I struggled with word order in that section. I hope this works.
Poetry with a side of history! Enjoyable read with great images. And now I cannot get that song out of my head.
Wait…WHAT? Sorry, Virgina! I have no idea how my thanks to Jim landed after your lovely comment. I apologize as well for the “ear warm.” LoL
Thank you, Jim.
A history lesson (I learned something, which I love) artfully told!
I really loved this – “the slow violence of this hard life” and what that included. Powerful.
Thank you so much, Missy!
Wow! You are an amazing storyteller! And you chose the perfect title for your poem–not just because it’s apropos to the story, but also because everytime I hear that tune I will be thinking of this wonderful poem! This is really superb!
Thanks ever so much, Winter!