Sunday hitching
post tied a new horse,
a mare's mare warm and
lathered with sweat, her rider
walked into the saloon at noon,
stage was late,

always good
to see a new face,
the drink on the house,
she tossed back the whiskey,
walked out the way she came in,
stage pulled up, out climbed a woman
in black, she carried the Bible and a short
rifle,"Didn't think you'd make it, Deadwood
has that sound to it. Shall we walk to the
church?"

congregation sat
nervously in the pews,
service had been stalled,
wired for a new preacher a
week ago,

"My name is
Amanda Blake
Now let us take
out our Bibles and
pray, Lord, a new day
has found us here in your
house, my organ player is my
lover, and she brings a new hymn,
it was a rock lodged between the wagon
wheel and when it is free, it begins to roll,
one day Lord, it might be called rock and roll...Amen."

Copyright 1.8. 2010 Ms. Sage Sweetwater, firebrand lesbian novelist