Northern City Girl by Leah Mueller

I can’t rock a cowgirl hat 

non-ironically,

or cram my feet

into leather boots

with pointed toes.

I’ll never

get a rose tattoo.

I will be that woman who

moved to the desert

from somewhere else

for the rest of my life.

I gave up on conformity

a long time ago,

and it’s not on

my list of priorities.

At least I understand

basic shit, like driving

and when to leave the bar.

The desert bakes your brains

and makes you crazy.

I guess that’s why

you need to wear a hat.

---

“I never did anything with this poem for three reasons: 1. I was in a foul mood when I wrote it. 2. The tone came off as mean-spirited and one-sided. 3. The poem is overly self-referential, as it specifically pertains to Bisbee, Arizona, where I live.”

Leah Mueller (she,her) lives and writes in Bisbee, Arizona. She has authored nine books, with another on the way in October. A Best of the Net nominee, she will have a piece in Sonder Press' upcoming 2022 Best Small Fictions anthology. Visit her website at www.leahmueller.org.