jacket says 2 million miles
in gold embroidery (just slightly frayed)
right over his heart
he'd driven more than a few thousand
more long haul miles
before the jacket was delivered
bureaucracy...
25 years on the road
so much more than miles
every state
every province
...pretty much
thousands upon thousands of radio songs
and parking lot nights
missed birthdays, holidays, and days
with family
blizzards, construction, highway delays
of every sort - even a tornado or two
today the last delivery is done
heading back north
up and over Pennsylvania hills
temperature drops
the cold snatches moisture
from the evening air
delicate snowflakes fall
lit by rig headlights
You have captured the life of a trucker - so many miles, so many missed occasions back home. I hope his retirement is all he hopes it will be.
ReplyDelete