A fraternity of truckers zoom down the super-slab,
eyeing state lines and weigh stations divide the hours.

Thoughts surround home, spouse, kid's ball game
dance recitals, and graduations--missed.

C.B. crackle with insominac chatter, goofballs and
yellow jackets are eaten like chiken fried steaks,
keeping their nerves tense and
their eyes w i d e !

To the man[and woman] their common goal,
more than any other--
keep the shiny side up
and the greasy side down.

Cities: their venue; Shy Town, She Couldn't Go--
names for Chicago, and L.A. turnarounds
filling their bellies, bugging their eyes
keeping their date with destiny.

K.C., Kankakee, bound by the time that binds and
four hundred horsepowered diesels
going to hell and back.

Lake to lake: they call a cross-country haul.

New York to San Fran they move
like liquid snakes churning
that diesel smoke-tail--that is soon gone,
wafting into America's air supply.

Eighteen wheels rolling, crooning their song,
the old drivers say is music to their ears.
singing: roll 'em, roll 'em, roll 'em.

Names like Billie Jean, Catch Me, Cat's Meow,
The Preacher, Showdown, Mama's Lil' Helper
adorn the steel bodies like tatoos
on shore-leave sailors.

Hearts aching for someone to talk to,
someone to share their dreams of what
they're gonna do when they get home...this time!

Dreams: strangers to them when they get home
and their feet stop feeling the spell-binding rumble.
it goes to every bone and sinew
and a lifetime passes before
a call from the dispatcher:
they need some steel in Kalkaska
and they need potatoes picked-up from Idaho,
and an undetectable grin comes from him
and he's off again.

04/25/2005

Posted on 04/25/2005
Copyright © 2025 Charlie Morgan