The Feud

What was it did it?

From east and west blew

A texas grief-

All-swallowing,

Revenge, a kitchen sinkful

Of broken glass,

An indelible stain

And razors of scorn

Slitting heartward.

Did it start with

A bat-winged theft?

Malicious.

Was she looking for

A signal between

Someone else's legs?

Did she drive

Daddy's green pickup

to Juarez?

The mouth-red

Smoke stack

Belched oil and fire,

Threw up the greasy

Sky over the

Fat, flat plains.

The hay turned

In static tornadoes

Between black clods

And the grubs and weevils

Strove for to see

The fading light.

My texas,

My god,

My sister.

As irretrievable

As a slow-moving ship,

You drift,

Head-turning, passionless,

Cold links coiling

With heat and the smell

Of engine grease and

Salt water and

Sailors' sweat.

You turned away.