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The Dictates of Inertia…
As we know, there are a
lot of urges that may prompt us to go on a ride.
But there are many urges, as well, that work on us
to keep that ride going, even when the dictates of
that ride seem to say, “That’s it.” “This
ride has fulfilled itself.” “This ride was
from point A to point B …and we are there.”
Sometimes we
don’t give it to these latter urges. But
sometimes we do…we must…some compelling factor wins
out over our pre-determined “end-point", and like the movie
“Vanishing Point”, we dare to extend the ride.
The poems here
deal with some of the urges that might compel us
to “extend the ride”…without any clear
notion of the outcome, the consequences, or the
rewards.
So I say,
“Ride On.”
RUSTY
Montana Road
(Summer,
2009)
Rusty
Sprocket
The road
stretches on…
slips beneath
the mirage
that glints
and shimmers
ahead of my
bike
Its twin
keeps
frenetic pace behind me
and shimmies
in my mirror…
Two
hot-footed chimeras dancing
on a
summer-dry Montana road
As I ride
easy between them
All
rights reserved/2009/r. sprocket
Double
Take
Rusty Sprocket
A restless
son…
he took to
the road as a young man…
with no
money, no promise, no plan
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He crossed
some bridges
he’d
never find again…
at night he
camped alone
by day he
rode the wind…
Led some
motley crews
on some
merry chases…
put his
kickstand down
in some
desperate places
As he took
his Prodigal ride
his unseen
angel rode by his side…
and when
he’d had enough
of being so
alone
he thought
he’d go home…
but there
was no welcome there…
they’d
written him off
and
didn’t seem to care…
The years
went by…
Then his
own son one day
took to the
road and went away…
He had his
own bridges that he crossed…
took some
wrong turns
till he was
utterly lost…
He rode
always with unfamiliar faces…
and put his
kickstand down
in his own
desperate places…
tended his
own lonely fires through the night…
was up
burning the road
at the
first hint of light
His own
unseen angel rode at his side…
as he took
his Prodigal ride…
and after
his own fill of emptiness
he thought
he’d go home…if he could
and he was
gladly taken back
by one who
had ridden there…
and who
understood
All rights
reserved/2009/r.sprocket |
