Bad Bertie Bartigan
A Funny Cowboy Poem for Kids
From the book The Armpit of Doom
When Bad Bertie Bartigan strode into town,
he held up the bank and his britches fell down.
“Dad gum it!” he spluttered. “Gawl durn it! Aw, shoot!”
then picked up his britches, but fumbled the loot.
He lit out of town in a mad-scramble dash.
He still had his pants, but he’d lost all the cash.
The stagecoach was passing that moment, by chance.
He held up the stagecoach, and down went his pants.
“Dag nab it!” he blurted. “Dad blame it! Aw, no!”
then hoisted his trousers, but dropped all the dough.
He ran for the hills with his britches held high,
but Bertie was broke and he wanted to cry.
And, as he was running, he spotted the train,
so Bertie, who wasn’t renowned for his brain,
said, “This is a hold up!” His pants hit the deck.
“Garsh dang it!” he stammered. “Dog gone it. Aw, heck.”
He ran away clutching his britches again,
straight into the sheriff and all of his men.
They busted Bad Bertie and tossed him in jail,
to wait for his sentence with no chance of bail.
And, there in the hoosegow, in handcuffs and chains,
he held up no bank tellers, coaches, or trains.
“Dad blast it! Tarnation! Aw, Sam Hill!” he said,
then stood there and held up his britches instead.
— Kenn Nesbitt
Copyright © 2012. All Rights Reserved.
Reading Level: Grade 3
Topics: Money, Poems about Kooky Characters
Poetic Techniques: Alliteration, Dialogue, Irony, Narrative Poems
Word Count: 224
From the book The Armpit of Doom
Use This Poem
Would you like to use this poem in your classroom? Would you like permission to reprint, record, recite or broadcast this poem, or set it to music? Please click on one of the following links for permissions and reprint rights information: