a cowboy and a princess walk into a bar
he sits at a table in back, tries to look relaxed
while she gets the drinks
he is picking up the plastic thing
which holds the happy hour menu
what is he doing here, he wonders
he tries to conjure some innocence
some sense of being swept along
without much luck
cowboys are made not born
and she was the reason
so long ago, that he rode alone
down the road that asked nothing
that smothered you in an empty
that ate all your questions
she, he was pretty sure,
just wants the story
wants it to come out right
make it into a happy ending
so she can speak wistfully
of how she once loved a cowboy
he wants, no needs
what he can not now,
now or ever, do
love her entirely
or forget her completely
empty of either oblivion
he sits with his jaw set
he is a pathfinder
one who can not get lost
even if he tried
not in a west of trackless miles
not in the uncharted wildness of her
she brings him a whiskey
he looks at it musing how that probably
does make the story better
sun stained and trail hardened
man who could drive a herd through hell
throws back a throat full of fire
he had wanted a beer
but feels he owes her
at least this much
a princess and a cowboy walk into a bar
while he sits silent as always,
she gets the drinks, so she has time to think
what is he doing here
doesn't he know i have a life
damned if i am going to let him
sip a beer and tell me stories
of stupid spectacular sunsets
as if he were some sort of ancient hero
whiskey will make this quicker
she puts the glass down
he lifts and drains it
the glass makes a single sharp knock
as it returns to the table
the gavel of the final judgement
between them, all that is left
is to empty the courtroom
serve out the good and just sentence
now pronounced in silence
except it wasn't silence
both of them heard words
coming from his mouth
each with equal amaze
"i don't want to go"
the words were somehow said
"i don't want you to leave"
escaped as reply before anyone could stop them
a cowboy and a princess walked into a bar
who will walk out remains a mystery