18 January 2008 | Vol. 7, No. 4
How the West was won.
Tyra Banks is a cowboy.
She is in the desert.
When she stands on rocks
They become mountains.
And when she descends
They become canyons.
She spits a little when she talks
And the spit becomes rivers.
She tamed the West
And pitched tents
And cooked jack rabbits
Over an open fire.
She teaches the Indians
About ruffles and lassos
And shot a man in her sleep.
She fights coyotes and
Has never lost.
She is too tall for her horse.
She is too tall for all horses.
She dreams of new horses to ride.
About the author:
Christine Neacole Kanownik is a poet and potential grad student living in Chicago. She works for Another Chicago Magazine and a chocolate factory. Her work has appeared in Shampoo, Moria, can we have our ball back?, and the upcoming issue of Blossombones. She is also part of a poetry collective called Murakami Sound Machine.
For further reading:
Browse the contents of 42opus Vol. 7, No. 4, where "How the West was won." ran on January 18, 2008. List other work with these same labels: poetry.
