Dirty wings, we shall have.

Thank you for reading.

Dirty wings, we shall have. For dear Susie.

1- I told dear Susie, a nickel for dance, a dime for a kiss,

a quarter for a day with you near the flowing river.

Pretty Susie gave me her Ohio beautiful smile.

She told me. I would give you everything you need because

dear Johnnie. You are the only one who adore me.

2- Dear Susie, I found war and ugliness.

When I wanted death, I remember you.

I remember how you held my hands, and how we danced for the September moon.

Dear Susie told me. I am dirty with sin, and I am ugly with sadness.

My angel wings are torn and beaten. I am dark with anger.

You don’t want a broken woman.

I brought her close and I whispered to her.

A nickel for a dance, a dime for a kiss and

a quarter for day with you near the sea.

Dear Susie, you are more beautiful than yesterday.

New scars and old scars, we shall have.

I see my Ohio dream, my first and last wish.

I would make you smile, and we would re-write our story.

Where two people overcame and they found the kindness of love.

Coyote

Author's Note

Please listen to the amazing sing dear Zandi Holup.

Reviews

[Broken.buddy]

Dear Coyote

a nickel for a dance
a dime for a kiss
and time to read your songs

they make me smile, Glad to see you back here after few days of gap, The way you write stories in these beautiful forms always makes me smile. Thank you for being here and sharing your works

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you, my friend. I appreciate the comment.

[Kenneth The Poet]

Great work as always, old friend.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you, my friend.

[RomaJ]

This poem feels like a love letter written through time, carrying both tenderness and sorrow.

I really love the recurring lines about the dance and the kiss, they tie the past and present together with such emotional weight. The imagery of scars, war, and the sea shows how love can survive even after pain and distance.

It reads like a memory that refuses to fade, where forgiveness and devotion still find their place.

The ending leaves a sense of peace and renewal, as if love itself becomes a way to heal.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you, dear Roma. Few people will touch our heart. Their memory become part of us.

[SM Davis]

Hello old friend! How wonderful to see you are still here! Your writing has not disappointed since all those years ago now. "I see my Ohio Dream..." beautiful. Truly.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you, my dear friend. I appreciate the comment.

[An owl on the moon]

BEAUTIFUL... reads like a small, aching ballad; part letter, part hymn. The coin refrain (“a nickel for a dance, a dime for a kiss…”) gives it the feel of an old folk song, turning simple exchanges into a currency of devotion. War and trauma stain the middle section, but the tenderness keeps returning, even as Susie confesses her brokenness. By the final lines, scars and love stand side by side, and the poem becomes about redemption... the hope that even “dirty wings” can lift two people toward kindness again.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you, my friend for reading and the comment. All of us need some kindness. I appreciate the comment.

[Betty Hermelee]

Dear John
A beautiful story/song I listened to... and your poetry reflects this perfectly. My take is that we all come with baggage, no one is perfect... but if we can overlook that, then perhaps we can find peace and love....in this world... thank you for sharing...
Warmly, B

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you, dear Betty. I do agree. We must love the good and the bad of another. I appreciate the comment.

[Lydia Shutter]

Such beautiful artwork to accompany your well written words, John. When we love, we love even the imperfections of a person. It is genuine. You are always the romantic. Lydi***

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you, dear Lydia. If we didn't know love. What did we know? Thank you, dear friend for reading and the comment.

[red93]

Fabulous Coyote, a eulogy to love, and a celebration of a special Woman with all her imperfections and perfections. Exceptional ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you, my friend, for reading and the comment. I do appreciate. We must appreciate the woman who allow us into their life.

[Ayesha Faiz]

This feels so raw and bittersweet, like love holding hands with pain. The way it circles back to the same tender offer makes it feel timeless, almost like a promise that survives everything. It’s sad, but also gentle, and you can feel the deep care between them even through the scars. Lovely poem. Truly.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you, dear Ayesha. We must be kind to each other.

[Fishysua]

The nursery rhyme style motif ties this together nicely
I don’t know that this uses the wings metaphor well.
I do really appreciate the build up of a piece of nostalgia that rebuilds the character when they are at their weakest

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for reading and the comment. I appreciate.

[John the Baptist]

Sometimes wounded people can engage in mutual healing. This offering describes such a situation. I hope the effort was successful on both sides.

[Coyote Poetry]

I tried. Was too young to know. Broken ladies needed time to collect their strength. I appreciate the comment my friend.