‘rado

                Sun’ll light you up
          While blindin’-bright-lovin’ on you,
      And the girls suppin’ here’ll

    Do the faithful-same.
          Ain’t no fame—
                  Might find ya’ some shame—

            In that dawn-‘vaporatin’ dew
      Of shyin’, not smile-n-eatin’
    This red dirt’s broken-bone stew.

      You might gamble on lieu,
        But who’re you
            To drift on beatin’ your defeatin’?

          Comin’ here, Surrender’s your first name.
      West Texas’ll leave you lame—
    And your ‘Rado straight-smokin’—

      If you ne’er truly came,
          Refusin’ to stake a claim on your senses.
                  Borrow my lenses:

                This is tough-ass country, son.
        Whip yourself and find but a thimble-joy in it;
    Then—no jokin’—you’ve begun to win one.

—for Kayle Jahn