A Parting Shot (Dedication)

to all my little climbers out there, and the people who grease the wheels for them.

find your own tree,

cola


Dear Twin Falls (& Co.)—

Now do you hear the thunder? It softens me into a milkshake
& so many straws are in my back. Drink up! When you’re all done,
we’ll walk out opposite doors: you to the awards show, me to the
funnel cloud. Was any of this ever in doubt? From the start I’ve
been all dressed up, nowhere to go. Dressed for success & does
success ever come? Missed congeniality, but I learned the golden
rule & guess I’ve nothing good to say. Now it’s my way, blue eyes—
at least that’ll be more than any speech can accept. My crowd
going wild is the tornado waiting outside & it's hungry.

I’d like to thank the academy,

Quad Cities