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On Interstate 5 In A Greyhound Bus

On Interstate 5 In A Greyhound Bus

mother pauline boards the big greyhound double decker 
her freckled son goes before her wearing a cub scout cap
hurry up she says as they climb the stairs to the upper deck
the bus driver tips his cap and starts the greyhound engine
 mother pauline tells the little boy they are going to redding
she gives him a batman comic book and a box of milk duds

nighttime is coming as stout pauline flips on the ceiling lamp
euthanizing elevator music seeps from an overhead speaker
jodi sands sings ‘kiss by kiss’ as the bus driver grips the wheel
the double decker dashes down alameda with taillights on fire
flashing by foggy neon cocktail dives drinking in the darkness
rushing now on life’s dream highway like an insane eel dancing

now rushing at 65 mph they ride on interstate 5’s scarred back
freckled boy tiredly yawns and lies upon the soft lap of pauline
tired mother peers out the window and sees the fast blur of life 
she focuses her sight and sees her mountain of love sleeping
an hour of fast driving leads to closed eyes and driveling yawns
old men snore in the back as erect streetlights pass by unseen
mother pauline thinks of husband fred back home being alone
she wonders if fred misses her as much as she now misses him
wonders if he’s snoring in bed right now as loud as the old men

soon she will be in redding to find a house and to scout the town
soon the sun will rise when the yuba street bus depot is reached 
freckled boy continues to sleep and dream in pauline’s soft lap
the greyhound speeds up interstate 5 like an insane eel dancing

Copyright © | Year Posted 2024




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Book: Reflection on the Important Things