Can she ride on luck alone?
Poem by Dave Henson
Art by Cream Scene’s Katy Somerville
Annie Oakley and the Ace of Diamonds
The cowboy holds
the ace of diamonds
atop his head.
Annie fires.
The cowboy juts
his finger through the hole
in the center of the card.
The audience cheers.
Annie sighs with relief.
She’s begun wondering
which will be first to go —
her eye, steady hand, or nerve.
Can she ride on luck alone?
After the show,
Annie and the cowboy
gather ‘round a lantern
for a little stud
with the fellas.
An ace of diamonds
from a royal flush,
Annie shoves in all her chips.
Ten flames dance on her shiny nails,
the cowboy’s fate in her cards.
About The Author
David Henson and his wife have lived in Brussels and Hong Kong and now reside in Illinois. His work has been nominated for three Pushcart Prizes, Best of the Net and Best Small Fictions and has appeared in various journals including Gone Lawn, Moonpark Review, Literally Stories, and Fiction on the Web.
About The Artist
Katy Somerville was beamed into existence on a Monday night in the mid-eighties by stars, glitter, and a glorious Italian woman from a long line of very strong women. In the present timeline, she likes to drink coffee, pat any animal that will engage with her, make collages, and spend time laughing and finding moments of joy wherever she can with her partner and her goofy, lanky dog.
Katy is Cream Scene co-editor & Art Director
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