by Michael Thorne Jarrett
Southeastern Colorado
Both of our hands are out the window
Riding on the August air like a pair of wings
I tell you that I’d like to fly
When I was little girl I’d
Lie awake at night and dream such things
You keep looking around like there’s something to see
But I can tell that you’re looking at me
You can see as easily that I don’t mind
The honesty in both your eyes
Is vulnerable as Jesus Christ
Kind of takes me by surprise that I’m your kind
Love, that’s a major thing
You’re an angel, I’m a broken wing
I can heal but it’s gonna take some time
I don’t wanna break your heart
Never thought it’d get this far
Even if I push you babe I don’t want you to go away
You got a ten-dollar bill rolled up in your lips
Pretending it is a cigarette
Flick it like a trucker ashing at every car we pass
Then you smile like you do when you’re thinking of a joke
You offer me a drag of your ten-dollar smoke
“don’t burn it too quick baby, it’s all we got for gas”
Then you take my mandolin
From the backseat while I hold the wheel
And you roll off an Appalachian reel and a Kenny Loggins line
Even though we ain’t got money
I’m so in love with you honey
Everything gonna bring a change, a change in time
I can’t conceive all the pretty things you say
It takes my breath away
I wanna believe
Everything that you sing to me
And I wanna run away somewhere that I can breathe
We stop at a bridge on no-name road
Walk down to the water in our barefoot toes
You grin at me “I don’t suppose that you wanna go swimming”
You pick me up and you carry me in
Feels just like a sacrament, and I can’t pretend I’m not enjoying it
Like some kinds of sinning
Then you look at me like you’re gonna kiss me
And I don’t wanna resist you
But it’s been so hard and I’m so damned tired of crying
You brush my hair behind my ear
Say I don’t wanna be someone you fear
With the water around us maybe it feels like flying