two panhandles travel advisory

oklahoma & texas

make for a noisy kitchen

and dusty parking lot

'course there's nothing like

refried beans and huevos rancheros

to take your mind off

the bull riders and bullshitters

you might just say

send 'em back to the phony wooden sidewalks

of dodge city

plastic is forever

     give the termites a break

& way too many

real life shoot 'em ups

& you know the blood just gets thicker

every school year

& this ain't no movie set

or the brainchild of some up & comer

hero-director

we just keep going the miles

until we make a hard perfect 90 degree turn

the sky can never get bluer

a hundred miles in any direction

there will a lost radio signal or two

asking for school teachers and nurses

to send their résumés in for consideration

not if

but when

the tornado clouds roll in

don't stop until you find a basement

     in other words don't stop

every motel keeper keeps a good supply

of fly-swatters

and you'll need to keep one close

like on the night stand with your sweet dreams

     the flies go crazy when the weather changes

--- e b bortz