My girl is a tall drink of water with a guitar
by EL POETA
strumming softly in a dive bar off Milwaukee—
her steady tones make fine work look too easy.
She hears something in the notes I don’t; feels
her way to strike a two-toned lonely chord:
unaware the crowd is holding on her every note.
The crowd sways to the rhythms she moves.
Some oldhead mumbles the song is pretty good;
my girl is a tall drink of water with a guitar,
strumming softly.
El Poeta (she/they) is a queer Latine poet and artist based on the Southwest side of Chicago. Her work often explores themes of queerness, self-identity, the Midwest, abolitionism, mental health, and healing. You can find more of their work at @lacroixlines on IG.