Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Traveling

I actually DO listen to music that is not of the punk variety!! (Right now, actually, I'm listening to Nickel Creek!) So, I used to have a  job that sent me traveling around Missouri, often on twisty curvy roads. One of my most frequent travel partners was a my Best Of Bob Dylan album! I absolutely hate driving on Any roads at night. But one night, the moon was so intriguing that I forgot about everything but that moon, and Bob Dylan.


MO-52

Speeding down a two-way highway
the sun is setting,
and I’m staring at the pinks and oranges on the horizon
slowly starting to fade in my rearview mirror.
Bob Dylan asks me How does it feel to be on your own?
I see the rising moon in front of me.
I start to describe it to myself as being rust-colored,
but I think, That’s incredibly cliché.
It’s the color of a watered-down scotch,
abandoned for the night on a table on the back porch.
The moon keeps me company
as I glide over hills and around curves.
It’s sloshing along beside me,
behind power lines on whichever side of the road it chooses.
I see an abandoned grain factory down the road.
I slow as I pass it,
admiring its worn-out beauty.
Three dilapidating grain silos stand guard
in front of the long forgotten about building.
I toy with the idea of exploring the factory
but Bob Dylan increases his tempo,
reminding me to Please her, please him, buy gifts.
My foot sinks deeper to the floor with my gas pedal.

10 comments:

  1. ha there is a wildness to this...the peddle down in the end and losing yourself a bit on the road and to the tunes...used to travel a lot for work...and saw many sights...and felt similar....i love the extended metaphor of the moon...the color of a watered down scotch,
    abandoned for the night on a table on the back porch....it sloshing around behind hte power lines...

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    1. I don't think I will ever be able to fully chuck my wild side!! I'm usually Awful at writing metaphors, I never really liked them. But I like scotch, and somehow this one really worked!! Thanks!! :-)

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  2. I too like Bob Dylan on the road. I took one road trip cross country where it was the only thing we could agree on. I love the grain silos standing guard, and the general sense of journey. Well done. k.

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    1. I Love classic rock on road trips: Dylan, The Band, The Allman Brothers, Steve Miller Band, etc.!! Thanks!! :-)

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  3. Made me want to listen to some Dylan before bed! :-)

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  4. I really enjoyed this, Katie... especially:

    I start to describe it to myself as being rust-colored,
    but I think, That’s incredibly cliché.
    It’s the color of a watered down scotch,
    abandoned for the night on a table on the back porch.

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    1. Thank you!! That's actually my favorite part of the poem too!! :-)

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  5. .."the moon keeps me company.."- a true and relatable thought/s... I like your work with metaphors and some consistent assonances here... Great to read this... Smiles...

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    1. Thank you!! I can spend hours staring at the moon!! :-)

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