It’s all alright darling

drop your act. Say that you know

what you want.

Pull the toy shaped like a hand

gun from the night-

stand & open your mouth

like a baby dove waiting

for morning to come.

Your lover enters

from the bathroom right before

you pull the trigger.

She replaces the barrel

with her thumb.

This is what it means to be

American. To always want something

in your mouth. Virginia

Slim. Toothpick. Golden

reed. Say that you know

what you want. Stand

at the top of the tower.

Monument of indulgence.

Shrine of desire.

Drop your panties

to the wind. Baby,

this is the sound

of an American. A cooing.

A suckle. A land

flowing with milk

& money.  

Say that you know

what you want. Someone

beautiful to notice

your swollen bulb

of suffering. Someone

to place the tip

of their thumb

on the pistil

of your tongue & watch

as you massage the red

plum hidden beneath

the bough of your bush.

A ripening. Someone

to say good job

& half-heartedly want you

to stay. Pull up

your boot straps

like a good western

boy & ride off. Prodigal

son on horseback

chugging across state

lines. The stars lining

the sky like a Christian

Louboutin belt.

This is what it means to be

American. A game

of role play where you act

as your own Messiah. Running

a great distance towards

an unending dark

blue sky. Hoping

it leads back

to your childhood.

An eternal American

summer. Green

pools. Boiled pigs.

White girls with pink

tans. Mouth full

of juju bees.