“The Silver Dagger” by Robert Cooperman

Silver Dagger—the Daughter “All men are false, so says my mother . . .”—“Silver Dagger,” American folk song Mother says I must give up the young man singing love songs outside our window, hoping I’ll run off with him, or let him in, though if I did, Mother would slice him like a ham, with […]

“Honky-Tonk Nights” by Robert Cooperman

Scottie always drank longnecks: easy to smash a guy hassling him or making a move on his woman, who wasn’t necessarily his wife, though Loretta didn’t have to know that, except she always did, when he staggered in skanky with beer and perfume fumes. Too much effort to throw him out or leave him: […]