A Fantasy of Dusk

It's the first time in a long time That I haven't gazed at the setting sun Riding down that winding country road Wind whipping at my outstretched hand A road that wound through dead end towns Filled with life that may or may not know better A road that meant more to me Than any other road I traveled those years Buildings and homes created from stone All glowing golden under the twilit sky It didn't seem like a place one could live But doubtless, some had lived and died there At one point it represented promise A biweekly reminder that dreams could be achieved As it led to a small library That me and many others grew to know as home I'd sit in any of the eight seats in the hall Gazing out at the twilit field that surrounded it A traffic light glared fiercely back As an hour passed and four cars went by At another point it represented hope A daily reminder that an ancient disease had a cure As it led to a large hospital That her and many others grew to know as home I'd stand at the wooden door that blocked me from her Gazing out at the bustling town that surrounded it Headlights glared fiercely back As half an hour passed as infinite footsteps echoed behind me I never knew that road under the light of dawn Nor under the blazing radiance of noon Simply as the dusky twilight road that led to promise and hope And under the pitch black cover of night that led back to reality None of those dreams came to light The skills I learned at that library amongst peers I chose to cast away to pursue a new reason To stare at a computer for the rest of my life That disease is ancient because it was strong enough To survive unfettered for millennia Her time at the hospital meant nothing As she became my Patient Zero I still dream about that road About what seemed to represent infinite promise and possibility So far away from all of my haunts There's only one reason to return To attempt to stretch my arm out again As the wind caresses and kisses it As I attempt to reach through time and space And grab the hands of my younger selves who drove on this same road.