Catherine Bowman’s poem “LBJ Ranch Barbecue” appeared in our Fall 1990 issue. 

Waist deep, almost naked, evening time soak,
a dozen Rajah bellies, a dozen Titan schnauzes,
wade in chlorinated agua toasting to the tune
of charismatic oratory and little Jimmy swing.
Two thousand pounds of Grade A carne vaporize
the heat. He has the biggest pecker in the pool,
politically speaking, it’s his pool,
his party, his hands that snakewrap
the testicles of his guests until they say yes.
And they swim in formation, smooth Homo sapiens
gliding into the deep end toward the white
telephone poised on the lip of the diving board,
ringing.