swimming with cowboy lovers

If I had a long lost lover in this cowboy city 

I’d probably call him up right now

And ask him to take a dip here with me 

To swim good between the curve of these hips

But I don’t have any lovers here and 

Maybe that’s why I like the wild west 

I’d call him over and tell him to leave his boots at home 

We’d say something cliche about the moon 

And laugh because despite how beautiful it is

It seems everything good has been said about it 

I’d think about how that makes me kind of sad 

And I’d almost talk to you about it 

But I’d let Frank Sinatra whisper something in our ears instead

And wait for you to ask if we should go inside

But no one would say anything, no one would move

So we’d keep staring at the moon 

And hold our breath

Until we could see the sun come up

And when they’d find us, days later

I’d like to think our legs and arms and bodies 

Would still be tangled together

But really we’d be swollen and shriveled 

And that’s why I don’t have a lover here

Or anywhere 

Because death ’til we part

Always comes sooner than we think it will 

And I’m finally learning to swim on my own

I’m not quite ready to drown for someone else

(Not even myself)

---

By Michaela Emerson