The Four Men

There are four men in a valley,
One red, one blue,
One green, and
A yellow one too.

They each stand in a corner,
Each with a gun at hand,
Crouching down low
Aiming at the other men.

Along this way
Comes Shirley M. Jane,
She's made of many colors
Some bright and some plain.

She views this display
From high up above
And from this perspective
She can see all of

The men, standing with their guns
And she gives a small yelp.
"They'll kill each other," she cries
"I should try to help."

She climbs down to the valley
And meets the man who is blue
She walks over to him
And she calls "Hey, you

"What are you doing?
"What's with the gun?
"Why not go home?
"This can't be much fun."

And the blue did turn
And he did look confused
"I would gladly go home" he replied
"But I have too much to lose...

"Off in the distance
"Is a man who is red.
"And he has decided
"He'd prefer me dead.

"So here I shall stand
"And here I shall stay,
"Until the red man sets down his gun
"And walks away."

"Well if that's all there is"
Shirley replied
"I shall go reason with him
"No one need die."

And off ran Shirley
Her skirt flailing about
And when she got across the valley
To him, she did shout,

"Excuse me, red man
"What are you doing here?
"Why not go home
"This business seems a bit queer."

And the red man turned to Shirley
Looking frightened and scared
"Have you gone mad?
"Don't you see the green man there?

"He, too, has a gun
"And it is plain as day
"That if I try to leave
"He will blow me away!"

So off ran Shirley
For she did assume
That she could speak to him
"Green man, I presume.

"You're causing a mess
"It is enough to be scoffed
"Put the gun down
"Call the whole thing off."

And the green man said
"You silly little girl
"There is a danger here
"That would make your feet curl.

"Off in the distance
"Is a man who is yellow.
"If I put down my gun
"His gun shall bellow.

"If I try to leave
"He will shoot me dead."
And off ran Shirley
For the yellow man, she did head.

Lightning and thunder clashed
As it started to rain
When Shirley said "Please
"This is too much strain.

"Yellow man, drop you gun
"You're being a sod.
"In this storm,
"You gun is a good lightning rod!"

But the yellow man held firm,
And then he proclaimed
"Don't yell at me!
"The blue man's to blame!

"It was he who started this,
"When he fired that first shot
"And he will shoot me
"If I move from this spot."

Poor Shirley did sigh
And off she fled
Praying that sound was thunder
And that no one was dead.

And she returned to the man
Who was colored blue
She pointed her finger and cried
"IT WAS YOU!

"You started all this
"When you fired that shot
"Now put down your gun
"And leave this spot!"

But the blue man stayed firm
And he did repeat
The threat of the red man
Should he take to his feet.

So, Shirley ran off again
To the red man to mellow
But as she tried to talk to him
He did bellow,

"I cannot leave
"While the green man stays strong."
And off went Shirley
The storm going on

And I'm willing to bet
And I know I won't pay
That you can guess
What the green man did say

And on this went
And no change was made
For all Shirley's running
All the men remained

For while the wording did change
In essence, they all did say
"I shall put down my gun
"Just not today."