what's a girl like you doing
at McDuffy's Hotel all
alone in Alaska, for
God's sake, asked
the plumber
I'm having
an adventure, said I, not
even sure that was
why, gazing out at the loneliness
of black crows against
the snow
this is no place for
weak and inquisitive
girls, barked the grizzled old
fart, snake in gnarled
hand, voice all whiskey
and piss
what makes you
think I'm either, I sniffed,
righteously
miffed
well, I'm not
sure about the one, but you've
got that curiosity
in those
green, green
eyes, said he with
a wink
hmmph, I snorted, with
total disdain, I'm curious
about that little tinge
of misogyny in
your blue ones
shaking his head,
he deftly unplugged
the pipe, in a hurry
to get home and look that
one up
...and smoke it
--Jo VonBargen 2011
