Ancient curse:
may you live
in an
interesting
county.
news from a small town 34, September 2011
may you live
in an
interesting
county.
news from a small town 34, September 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
applications available (soul optional)
so you want to be
a rodeo princess
maybe the queen -
to ride down the
main streets of
grubby little towns
(just like home).
and you can be
in the grand entry
at every rodeo
grinding fairground
dirt to fairy powder.
and you can be
in the grand entry
at every rodeo
grinding fairground
dirt to fairy powder.
all we ask is this:
don’t be too different, too
don’t be too different, too
chubby, too intellectual - oh!
and you must promise to
keep out of trouble while
you're representing us...
so no one can point
and snicker. here's how
we’ll know you’re good enough:
and you must promise to
keep out of trouble while
you're representing us...
so no one can point
and snicker. here's how
we’ll know you’re good enough:
you won’t fall off, you will sell
tickets like hell, and you will
tickets like hell, and you will
buy the company line.
news from a small town 33, August 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
at the rodeo parade
The big drum talks
from the back of the pickup truck.
It is the day named for Chief Joseph,
perhaps in honor, it's hard to say, exactly.
At any rate, there's a Pendleton blanket
bearing his name draped over the hood
of a Red Ford Ranger.
Each decorated truck and car swings
proudly into line, bearing
with care the young boys,
the young girls, whose place this WAS.
They carry feathered things, beaded things.
Watchers smile and say "how pretty!" but
from the back of the pickup truck.
It is the day named for Chief Joseph,
perhaps in honor, it's hard to say, exactly.
At any rate, there's a Pendleton blanket
bearing his name draped over the hood
of a Red Ford Ranger.
Each decorated truck and car swings
proudly into line, bearing
with care the young boys,
the young girls, whose place this WAS.
They carry feathered things, beaded things.
Watchers smile and say "how pretty!" but
don't what they are talking about.
On the back of an old car decorated
with dibble sticks and
other practical goods, a flute from
some other culture speaks,
in time with the drumming of
the old engine. Or maybe that's the
tinny bass from a boom box playing
On the back of an old car decorated
with dibble sticks and
other practical goods, a flute from
some other culture speaks,
in time with the drumming of
the old engine. Or maybe that's the
tinny bass from a boom box playing
traditional drum tunes. It's hard to say.
Each in turn turns a corner
onto the main drag, and young dancers
and elder drivers toss the new
coin of the realm: cheap, sweet
candies that fly to the hands
of white children in cowboy hats
dancing along the road.
Each in turn turns a corner
onto the main drag, and young dancers
and elder drivers toss the new
coin of the realm: cheap, sweet
candies that fly to the hands
of white children in cowboy hats
dancing along the road.
Friday, July 8, 2011
forecast: 83 degrees and snow
wake up and smell the ozone -
if you can get the door
latched shut in time.
there’s thunder in the air and
you can smell it coming
half a day away. it smells
like humidity and cotton
candy and a worn out
steam iron and yet not quite
any of that. but that was
then and this is now, when
the down draft whistles
down the canyons, shakes
the trees, and knocks out
the lights with a power that’s
entirely elemental. wipe
the desire off your face, rush
out, roll up the windows
on the rig – but too late… the
entire dash is spattered with
dust and raindrops, blown
in at right angles.the thunder
rolls down the mountain
in honor of our most famous
son, again and again. in
your nose it is the iron age,
and the air tastes of zinc
and danger and the
sulking of an old friend.
news from a small town 31, July 2011
if you can get the door
latched shut in time.
there’s thunder in the air and
you can smell it coming
half a day away. it smells
like humidity and cotton
candy and a worn out
steam iron and yet not quite
any of that. but that was
then and this is now, when
the down draft whistles
down the canyons, shakes
the trees, and knocks out
the lights with a power that’s
entirely elemental. wipe
the desire off your face, rush
out, roll up the windows
on the rig – but too late… the
entire dash is spattered with
dust and raindrops, blown
in at right angles.the thunder
rolls down the mountain
in honor of our most famous
son, again and again. in
your nose it is the iron age,
and the air tastes of zinc
and danger and the
sulking of an old friend.
news from a small town 31, July 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
the car window diet
in a rolling explosion
tourist doughnuts shatter
tourist doughnuts shatter
along the roadside and they are now
crow fodder, and emergency rations
for ants, and for the random dogs who
happen along, too. it is littering, say
the denizens of community service -
bending and bagging: and yet it is
good for you and you and you.
crow fodder, and emergency rations
for ants, and for the random dogs who
happen along, too. it is littering, say
the denizens of community service -
bending and bagging: and yet it is
good for you and you and you.
news from a small town 30, July 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
the road to halfway is open
the road to Halfway is open at last -
and she has just discovered that
the day that starts over all
the yesterdays does deserve
a kiss goodbye. even love that
turned out to be something
other deserves a ribbon for "best
try, under the circumstances."
it is the lifetime rodeo and she has
her new number now, and with it
a water bottle, the radio on - but
no old stations to sing with.
the grateful road down valley
lies behind, and there is only the new.
no one is the judge of that, whatever
they actually think. first, you have
to buy it, but that credit card
is cut to little pieces, and just in
time. the new adventure awaits.
rocks and holes and limbs
and dirt clod the byway - sticks and
stones, you know! still it is okay
to wave farewell to your own past,
mistakes and delights alike, like a
century's worth of rodeo queens,
or like all the unwatched stems
of bunch grass over on the prairie.
the drive-by begins. there's gas and
a wrench for flats, a sandwich
and even a cell phone, should the
road crest high and there be
signal enough to carry the brand
new story out into life and its new home.
and she has just discovered that
the day that starts over all
the yesterdays does deserve
a kiss goodbye. even love that
turned out to be something
other deserves a ribbon for "best
try, under the circumstances."
it is the lifetime rodeo and she has
her new number now, and with it
a water bottle, the radio on - but
no old stations to sing with.
the grateful road down valley
lies behind, and there is only the new.
no one is the judge of that, whatever
they actually think. first, you have
to buy it, but that credit card
is cut to little pieces, and just in
time. the new adventure awaits.
rocks and holes and limbs
and dirt clod the byway - sticks and
stones, you know! still it is okay
to wave farewell to your own past,
mistakes and delights alike, like a
century's worth of rodeo queens,
or like all the unwatched stems
of bunch grass over on the prairie.
the drive-by begins. there's gas and
a wrench for flats, a sandwich
and even a cell phone, should the
road crest high and there be
signal enough to carry the brand
new story out into life and its new home.
news from a small town 29, June 2011
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