knife fight

We heard there'd be a rumble coming
somewhere out there
maybe in the dark back of da alley
perhaps it be in some fool garage
ol Snatch, he threw down a challenge
"Come out, come out if ye dare
I be here waiting for you fool!"

We sat so still an listened
frightful we was to even peek out
it all seemed most uncomfortably quiet
I see my hand be wet and shaking
and then, I hear a voice, deep and slow
right thru the walls it answers back
"Courthouse square, five minutes"

Four minutes go by an no one moves
but Mister, you have to know that
it was like we was pulled out, all of us
made our way outside toward dat courthouse
we git near and sure enough
Snatch be just leaning against a post, smirking
and letting da sun flash off dat ten inch blade

Next to da square there be this little church
every Sunday da bell ring an I hear tell
dat a nice group of folk git all dressed up
to hear some preachin an do some singin
an some of their women make ham buns
for those days dat people git hitched
or them days dat some poor sod git's buried

Dat church be quiet for awhile
seems it's preach got sceered by Snatch
left town without so much as a hey dilly dilly
me, I never knew him. I say goodbye
to religion years ago when Pa left
an good riddance to him dat drunkin S O B
he never came to say nothin when Ma passed

Now a new preach come to town
first thing he do is start painting dat old place
pulls weeds an spruces up da joint
I hear music around there now like everyday
an I thinks dat's all made Snatch right mad
see, folks be starting to sing those songs
at home, with neighbors join in for goodness sake!

Five minutes is up and out those large wood doors
come Preach, holding onto this old bible
he don't look feared at all, in fact I say
he be looking most determined, most determined
I look at Snatch an he still be grinning
but I notice dat he lower his blade
an he be takin a step back

Preach stride forward an we all lean in a bit
fearin da worse but now a wondrin
he git close an I see his hair done shine like a helmet
an his vest seems to be most righteous
like nothin could hurt that man
then, with a voice calm but firm he say
"You git, an don't come back".

Well, we all been fixin on Preach an didn't see
that Snatch be gone, poof - disappeared
somehow my shoulders now feel all lite like
as I was a wonderin, Preach, he looks at me
says he hasn't seen me much an asks
if I got time to come by for some fixins
"Ham buns?" I ask - "Lamb chops" he say