Abundant Life

[goldenmyst]

Passing through nameless West Texas towns
The neon sign of a motel flashes vacant
Inside a reprieve from the cold road
The endless asphalt stretching forward
Like a jet trail
Through the dark sea of land
Inside warm myself by the heater
Listening to TV evangelists
Sermonizing apocalypse
Across the electrified airwaves
Sitting in the motel restaurant I
Dig into thick hamburgers
Listening to Hank Williams crooning,
Your cheatin heart
Walking across the parking lot,
A teenage couple are leaning against,
An old Buick making out
My thoughts wander to childhood
Limitless territories to explore
Abundant life spreading across the world,
A green revolution
The bright sun of justice reigning
Over our troubled land
Smiling faces looking out of store windows
People simply living, as though it were enough
I hear a man cursing,
A woman screaming invectives
Through the motel room wall
As I lay silently in my bed
Myriad thoughts unwinding in my head
Hungers, dreams, regrets
The flotsam and jetsam of a life
Slowly the screaming dies down
Leaving only the beating of my heart
To keep me company

[Lightning Rod]

yes, I hear Hank Williams

the only thing I'm missing is hash-browns

nice snapshot

[westcoast]

The endless asphalt stretching forward
Like a jet trail

so many great images swirling about
and the loner's heartbeat
to anchor them

nice one, john!

i'm so happy to see you posting
more, please

~westie

[mtmynd]

astute observations on yr travels.

nice read, John. hope to see more!

[Doreen Peri]

I like these lines together best

Your cheatin heart
Walking across the parking lot

hehe.... enjoyed this, John!

Glad to read your poetry here! More?

[mnaz]

Man I love this.

I was this..

[gypsyjoker]

me too
the road ran through my life for thirty years
you summed it up
in your poem
thank you

[Arcadia]

so beautiful poem goldenmyst!!!!!!! welcome here!!!!!!!

The flotsam and jetsam of a life

I like how it sounds, are they neologisms by you? I never read that words before!. Well, I know I´m not a parámetro here..!!!!!!!

thanks for posting it!!!!!

[goldenmyst]

Lightning Rod, hash browns! I knew something was missing. Ahhh well. Thanks for reading my friend.

Westie your readership makes it all wonderful.

mtmynd, thanks! I never traveled that route alone. Though I have several times with companions. However, perhaps one day I go it solo.

Doreen, there are plenty more where that came from!

Mnaz, I knew you especially would identify.

Gypsy from one former road traveler to another cheers. Here's too the memories.

Arcadia, I think they're in the dictionary. I recall having looked them up for correct spelling. Thanks for reading!

John

[the mingo]

o i just love it when someone sings! i read your piece while taking in my first cup of coffee this morning and it was a straight fit american style - you know, frontiers...highways...the moon...may the heart beat on...from word to word...Shiny, gm...

[hester_prynne]

"Electrified airwaves.........Hank W crooning.........thick hamburgers....limitless territory......"

echo's in my grand canyon
Not only dig, but love this write

H

[goldenmyst]

The mingo, I dig Americana. I'm glad you liked my humble contribution to the genre.

Hester, I'm glad I contributed to you enjoyment. America's vast open spaces inspire me as well.

John

[saw]

reminds me of cruising Route 66.....right on descriptions of the road,
nothing like West Texas....nice read

[goldenmyst]

Saw, yes this is a collage of scenes from my having traveled Route 66. We traveled all the way through to New Mexico four times and the Grand Canyon twice. Surprisingly I found the section in Texas to be the most enchanting. There is a feel out there in the open plains which is indescribable. The words used by one of the Apollo astronauts,"Magnificent Desolation", come to mind. Thanks for reading.

John