Another collaboration with Magdalena Ball. I started this one with the title and first two sentences and then we played email pingpong. It’s great to begin a poem and have no idea where it might end up. I remember I found an online cowboy dictionary and two new (for me) expressions “absquatulate” and “bone orchard” and couldn’t wait to use them! I love Maggie’s “the wind ate his skin” and the “hat hovering over his face.” Once we’d finished it, Maggie suggested submitting it to Loud Zoo, which I hadn’t heard of. We each recorded a version (it was a challenge trying to sound as American as Maggie!) and I cut up the vocals, sharing lines. Then it seemed only right to record some atmospheric music with acoustic & slide guitar,  blues harp and some shakuhachi for the wind.

It may have been as long as a year between the original concept and publication but it was worth the wait.

Thanks Maggie for another great collaboration.

Thanks Loud Zoo – you are unique!

SEE the poem.

HEAR the poem