Watershed

Story porches,
melting popsicles,
paper fans from churches,
chirping crickets and tree frogs
were perfect for
humid Saturday nights.

So was Bluesy Belter.

In her younger days, she made
the circuit singin’ R&B in local dives.

“Everybody has a watershed,” she’d say,
but I don’t think I’ve crossed mine yet.”

Then she’d grin and continue,
“Some days, all I want to do is shoot myself in the head and get on with life.”

Copyright Cher Cunningham, 2008

Thoughts anyone?

Heh, great quote.

I like it, Cher. Elegant.

Thanks, Troy, glad you like it.

I second that emotion. Nice work, Cher.

It's funny how things can sometimes simply simmer and stew. This one's been in the works for a few months more in my head than on paper. I would pick up bits of things here and there and write them down and come back to it and just look and then go away. Originally, I was going in a short story direction, but things just fell into place last week.

Here's a bit of backstory to explain further the evolution of Watershed. I haven't been writing for a very long time. I guess photography has somewhat replaced that segment of my life for the time being. Not that I don't want to ... it just seems that I can't. Anyway, I bought kd lang's newest cd a while back. It's title ... Watershed. That sent me to the dictionary for the definition, and I liked what I read, so it's been simmering in the back of my mind for months now. 'Story porches' I picked up from an interview on one the the NPR shows I frequently listen to of an evening. As for Bluesy, I have a poster on the Cowboy Junkies website forum to thank for that one. He came up with the name in a thread on the General forum. I liked it and grabbed it. As for the last line, it comes from an ex-RA who stopped by to see me last week which was finals week as well as move-out. I loved it and asked if she minded if I used it. "No prob," she said.

So, there you have it.

Thanks again!

Cher