(Take out the name Sleighty - on this day - !0/3/2007 for we are no longer wives (partners) - haven't been and no contact has been made since December 23, 2006)

to walk with you
hand in hand on the
the streets of Laredo,
we bend down and kiss
the ground, touch our lips
dusty with desire, to the shiny
gold rock that dislodged itself from
the rough and tumble sluicebox wagon-rut
roads, carried by the stagecoach of women's
history and romance,

to walk with you
hand in hand on the
streets of Laredo, we
step into the Sleighty-Sweetwater
Saloon, the liquor swillers, poker players,
and whores watch you remove the peel of an
apple skin in one piece with a single nonstop twirl
of your stag handle Bowie knife to demonstrate to
those who judge the apple peeler's attraction to the
same sex that we are one cut from the same core,

to walk with you
hand in hand on the
streets of Laredo, we
enter the Sweetwater-Sleighty
General Mercantile and scoop up
a handful of black flathead wrought iron
nails from the nail keg to build a bridge to
close the gap of this century's bigotry,

to walk with you
hand in hand, wearing
matching gold and silver rings,
on the streets of Laredo, we strap
on our other holsters and gundown
'til sundown carryin' us on through to
next century where you will dig up that
old liquor bottle amazingly still in one piece,
intact, we are survivors of the lynch mobs, you
turn in your poker chips, you were dealt four Queens
with an Ace high, you lay Morgan silver dollars on the
livery counter, buy us one apple and a horse apiece, last
stop before we ride on out of the streets of Laredo, the
blacksmith shop to buy an anvil, this is what you have to
say,

Reviewed by Blue Sleighty	3/3/2006
I'll fantasize that we're riding through the mountains in a realm far from where we currently exist. You on The Judas. Me on Pesky Pedro (my dad's big ol' Andalusian). We'll pass a bottle of mescal until we're about ready to fall off our saddles, and then- lo and behold- a little CANTINA! Where we would NEVER suspected one existed! As the last drop of mescal goes down your throat- the worm lands in your mouth. You work it with your tongue to your front teeth, and offer me half. We split the worm, and chunk the empty bottle. We tie up our boys by the reins. Slide through the swinging doors, and I'll be DAMNED. It's nothing but wall to wall females. Beautiful lesbian women. And the beer is only .50 cents! The juke box has Lynrd Skynrd, The Eagles, Tom Petty, and Marshall Tucker. "Heard It In A Love Song" is on, right now. The pool tables have purple felt. The pool cues all weigh 21 ounces and have brand new tips. And, the damned darts all have new points. The dancefloor is not too crowded, but the girls are having fun. Bartender asks us "What's your poison, ladies?" You tell her we'll skip the liquor and go for the lean. She pulls out a big brown bottle, and two shot glasses, and off we go! Bartender says, "It's on the house", with a little wink. We lean against the bar, and scope it all out. Great f***ing joint! Loud speaker announces, "the band will start in 45 minutes". We look around, and I'll be damned. KD Lang, and Melissa Etheridge are about to set up. Just doing a rough little six piecer, a bass player, a drummer, a back up guitarist, and a saxaphone to accompany. When KD and Melissa do their duet on "All The Way To Heaven", we decide to dance. We are too wasted to do much good. After kicking the asses of all at pool, and enjoying the concert of the century, we decide it's time for some shut eye. Pedro, and Judas can tell we are in no shape, and back off as we attempt to mount. We spy a barn, and the boys lead US over to take a look. A gray, worn wooden door is slighty ajar. We open it, and it's too dark to see. I pull a lighter out of my pocket. SCRATCH. It comes to life with flame, and we see bales of hay, and empty space. Looks like a great place to crash. We manage to unsaddle. We break open three bales of hay. One for the boys to munch, and two to pad the hard ground, where we collapse, and cuddle until sleep and dreams come. I love you, Sage. You are awesome. http://www.authorsden.com/visit/ viewPoetry.asp?id=173156&AuthorID=25908 Copyright 2006 Ms. Sage Sweetwater, firebrand lesbian novelist