Alliances of the Powder River

we found lodgings
in the community tent
rife with man's whiskey
and female musk

one of them
spoke of a perversion

she narrated
whiskey articulated
clarity her self-command
inspiring the way she held
the lawyer's shingle in her hand

her outlaw
nature generous
in bottle passing around
rhyme the disparity calling
for alliances of the powder river

she took
another drink
of the corrupted pilgrim
her lips built a fire he felt the burn 
the flame torturing the haunted ghost
of the birth mother shucker the corn husk
revealed a liar

negro spirituals
were sang from the
powder river hymnals
black horses pastured
with the white pack mules
the whores posted the madam's
bedroom rules

a corrupted pilgrim
inspired us to build
alliances we found in the
community tent

election for
a negro mayor
and a lesbian judge
the axle was bent the
prayer was sent blacksmith
witnessed strength in numbers
the wagon moves ahead the team spirit
pulling the kegs she narrated whiskey articulate
clarity

Copyright Ms. Sage Sweetwater, Celebrity firebrand lesbian novelist