The Fingernail Moon of Johnson County
Jon Cone

You were going fast.
It was beautiful,
how fast you were going.
You were beautiful
like a perfect incision.

I don't know.
It's crazy.
No one knows anything
but the fish go in the river anyway.

You didn't see me.
I saw you.
It was raining
and there was a terrible fingernail moon
on the river.

I had my heavy boots on.
The bowling alley was closed.
The pharmacy was closed.
The hardware store was closed.
The porn shop was open.
The grocery was closed.
I held my heart in my hands.

I held it.
It asked me, it said.
Did she see you?

I don't know.
You were absolute.
How I loved your God.