on the recommendation of a friend

I travelled to Wyoming.

a lonely place.

nowhere to go

save for the space

wrapped around you.

a dusty place.

low-lying structures with

rusty corrugated tin tops.

the vehicle out front

was smeared

in the dust of Wyoming,

the dust of dead wranglers,

dead drovers, and dead lasso artists,

although they say some are living.

I introduced "Eclipse" coffee syrup

to the counterman at the trading post

who took a swig from the bottle,

went berserk, reached for his sixshooter

and shot me dead.