Springfield Avenue

The street lights blink yellow and red, No traffic to stop, Cars are parked, Shops are closed, All is quiet, All is still. The wind sweet and warm, Conceals all the unsatisfied desires, The pain, the sadness, And infuses hope In the new day awaiting. The moon, the trees, The sound of sleep in the air, The dark sky, the presence of God And my loud thoughts, Sit with me on my drive on Springfield Avenue. As I drive, Images of what I know: My parents’ unexpected hug, Toffee, chocolate pudding, The smell of grass just cut, The swings, the fireworks, My grandmother’s stories, Of an Italian blue sky; My aunt’s lost love, My father’s dreams, Me at 9 on that plane To a different life. My first crush, The day in that church When I said yes But felt no; Me at 26 on a plane again to a new life. My first love, The greatness of it, The pain of having to Leave it behind. Images of my cousin, Standing at the alter, His love in her eyes, And on her brother’s face, My grandfather’s smile. I drive, drive, and drive; Drive away from the angst inside, Drive hoping for more images, Drive away from all these images, Drive to remember, drive to forget.