song for stefanie fix

—austin, 2006

her thin

arm

strumming

the blues

her thick

voice

lipping

the mike

the hotel

lobby

otherwise

silent

two women

knitting

on a nearby

couch

the fire-

place

winking

red

here’s a sad one,

says the singer

we’re all sad,

i want

to sing

—you, me,

your six

guitar

strings

the knitters,

their needles,

the soft

worn

face

of this dead

president

this face

i fold

like a tissue,

this face

i feed

to your thirsty

glass

Color Wheel, 2007