Two Towns

chickens thin barely scratch at 

a grassless yard

its migrant shack on last legs toils on for no reason

leans into the cotton wind off exhausted fields 

down the road the tilted graves iron rails rusted sign 

are resigned to the dateless death of the place 

there is no now in the granite and slate

on what remains of main street 

the queen of two towns still reigns

shows herself at the one light blinking

her ghostly so with a tiny sign held up to 

the too few cars

the circus was here in '66 

she rode in sequins stood astride two dappled grays

she was the Queen of Arabia famous 

in a losing one ring circus 

she stayed became a wife married 

to hard times

shamelessly the clowns went on being clowns

two towns merged  to one

then a nameless none

america

 

JPPestana

Two Towns

1.26.2022