Highway Wind

I drive the night because of open road.
My retreads are sounding strong.
Hauling cars up from New Orleans
Where I'm not sure that I belonged.

Traded whiskey for a woman
At a bar in Abilene.
Then a long haul up to Portland town
Helped along by methadrine.
                
There’s a lady there in Stumptown
She dances on the pole
Makes her pay in dollar bills
She's never ever home

Daylight fades and night descends
Men come, await their fate.
She sucks them dry and infects their soul,
Relights her lamp and waits…

She goes to church on Sunday.
Always comes in late.
She says a prayer, she sheds a tear,
puts food stamps in the plate.

Dropped my load down at the docks
there's a motel by the sea.
Homebase for my Peterbilt
That's parked out by the tree 

Called her up, the kids are home.
I hear them laughining on the phone.
Grandma says she"s not around,
But she'll tell her I'm in town.

“Yea. tell her I'm in town again
And kiss the kids for me,
Gotta leave on Tuesday”.
Hung up and fell asleep.

The phone rang in the morning.
The call was short and sweet.
She had some things she had to do,
Didn’t think that we could meet.

Fueling up, the fog horns moan.
Red pills to feed the beast.
A woman left back in the fog.
A white line headed east.

  Look at my life
       Some say I've sinned.
           My dreams were blown away 
                 By the cruel ... 
                        Highway Wind.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2021



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Date: 2/2/2022 12:38:00 PM
When you read, you put yourself in the driver's seat, drive through the night, ladies, road life... it's like being there! magnificent.
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Date: 7/15/2021 10:09:00 AM
I really love this poem! You masterfully use metering, rhyme, and imagery to paint an intimate portrait. Keep going, my friend.
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Rone Avatar
Ken Rone
Date: 7/15/2021 10:29:00 AM
Thank you Thomas. Portland, The Rose City, is now a black-throated pit of despair where know nothings and do nothings come to live on the dole. Tragic. - Ken
Date: 3/6/2021 7:57:00 AM
I give this fine offering a solid ten out of ten my friend. Your story telling and descriptive powers created a magnificent piece- one that exhibits a connection to how we walk through this world and how we think, feel and engage in relations with lovers. She left- but did ya find another??/ A fav.. I truly enjoyed this one greatly. God bless..
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Rone Avatar
Ken Rone
Date: 3/6/2021 12:42:00 PM
Again, the reply flatters mor so because it is more than just a few words. Your own dials obviously go to 11 judging from your own CV and I am honored that it entertained you. Best Regards - Ken Rone - Vancouver, WA
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