by Suzanne Owens
Foreword by Denise Duhamel
New Poets of America
Series
In this fascinating and disturbing first book, Suzanne Owens
gives poetic voice to some of the most infamous, wayward and
criminal women in history. Named for the goddess Discordia,
whom Zeus expelled from heaven, the collection includes monologues
from such famous daughters as Ma Barker and Cattle Kate as well
as the stories of lesser-known but no less notorious women.
Truly a rogue's gallery in verse of some of history's most infamous
women.
HOMESTEAD
CLAIM NO. 2003
The
lynching of Ella Watson, known as Cattle Kate,
in 1889 triggered the Johnson County war between
the powerful Wyoming Stock Growers Association
and the small independent ranchers.
I
was just another cattle rustler, hell
with
a six-gun, queen of branding iron
and
lariat. They called me the devil
in
the saddle, a terror astride a bronc,
the
best little whore in Johnson County.
From
the outlaw's hideout, Hole-in-the-Wall,
they'd
drive a stolen heifer over
to
my ranch and trade it for a little ass. Vigilantes
danced
in the hall, the king of rustlers
played
his fiddle. My herd increased.
I
applaud the ones who apply
their
own brand. Life is nothing
but
a pilfered animal. I took whatever
came
my way: a paire of fancy horses,
a
silver-studded saddle. We're here no longer
than
the time it takes to hear a six-gun barking,
the
groan of a hollow barn, the flap
of
bleached slats swinging in the storm. So,
noose
my neck to the cottonwood branch.
Watch
my knickers kick the air.
A
few maverick cattle wind up
in
everyone's corral. Some kind of lariat
is
finally tossed. We're all driven
to
the railhead for shipment.
Available editions:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paperback
ISBN: 1-880238-89-6
Price: $12.50
Publishing Date: June 2000
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