“Down Together” by Roger Clyne

We could write our names here in the mud
No one’s around to see them
We could hang our shoes right here in a tree
No one’s around to steal them

I could give you a star
You could give me one too
That way we’d be even
And I could sing this song way out of tune

And not care a bit about it
We could both wear cowboy hats
And pretend to speak Italian
Well I could eat some gum

And make my breath so minty fresh
To kiss you
Your breath will smell like wine
I like that a lot

Especially when I kiss you
And I could hit my funny bone really hard
And you could call me sweetheart

And who ever said there’s nothing new under the sun
Never thought much about individuals
But he’s dead anyways

So lets go down together
Down together
Down together
Together
Lets go down together
Down together
Down together
Together

We could all wear ripped up clothes
And pretend that we’re Dead Hot Workshop
I could drive long long way
And not even have the gas to make it
We could chase our shadows around
Till we’re both exhausted
I could forget the words just one more time
And hope that none of you notices

And who ever said there’s nothing new under the sun
Never thought much about me

What’s good for you is good for me
And what’s bad for you is bad for me
What’s good for you is good for me
And what’s bad for you is bad for me

Cars break and people break down and other things break down too
So lets go down together
Down together
Down together
Together
Lets go down together
Down together
Down together
Together

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About the poet Roger Clyne

“Down Together” by Roger Clyne is a wry, reflective meditation on the beauty of life’s fleeting moments and the inevitability of its breakdowns. In the poem, Clyne opens with images of writing names in the mud and hanging shoes in a tree—simple acts that speak to our desire to leave a mark in a world where our impressions are often transient. His playful exchange of stars—”I could give you a star / You could give me one too”—serves as a metaphor for the balance of giving and receiving love, even when perfection is elusive.

One of the poem’s most memorable moments is when Clyne imagines, “We could both wear cowboy hats / And pretend to speak Italian.” Far from a mere quirky image, this line cleverly nods to the iconic Spaghetti Westerns—films made in Italy that reimagine the rugged mythos of the American West, a land Clyne knows well as an Arizona native. By invoking these cinematic references, he humorously underscores the paradoxes of identity and cultural expectation, merging the traditional with the irreverent.

As the poem unfolds, Clyne’s observations on everyday decay—“Cars break and people break down and other things break down too”—remind us that impermanence is an inherent part of life. Yet, amidst the disarray, there is a shared sense of resilience and togetherness, encapsulated in the repeated call to “go down together.” This refrain challenges us to embrace the imperfections of life and find solace in unity, even when all seems lost.

To dive deeper into the lyrical genius and creative journey of Roger Clyne, visit his full bio page on HERE.