1st Place | “Chickasaw”

1st Place
“Chickasaw”
Thea Hopkins
Somerville, MA

She was reckless as the summer sun
Full of heat, her hair undone
She had a ticket and she had a gun
Going down to Chickasaw

The day was hot as a skillet fire
Winds pulling the trees and wires
She was shaking with one desire
Going down to Chickasaw

Old squaw said, “Do not go,
I see his blood on your shadow”
Down in Chickasaw

She kept hearing the last words he said
Buzzin, buzzin’ inside her head
“Found someone else to fill my bed”
Down in Chickasaw

He never saw her run across the sand
He never heard the screen door slam
He never saw the gun in her hand
Down in Chickasaw