Angela

Your willow eyes stared through me; 

like I was invisible, 

like I was leaving,

like I was gone.

Trees of fire swam skylark under the overpass.

In these early mornings there is only silence;

It's just me alone with your cigarette smell -

And I am waiting for you.

You left this town, with your windows down

And the wilderness inside 

Let the exits pass, all the tar and glass

'Til the road and sky align

Angela's story aches a thousandth time through your CD player

It's our song, the Ballad of Cleopatra released in 2016 -

Election year

It makes me mourn for times when we were happier 

When your crescent eyes whispered, "I love you."

Your Volvo lights lit up green and white

With the cities on the signs

But you held your course to some distant war

In the corners of your mind

When we walked the clouds of Mount Mainfeild,

When we held constellations at our fingertips,

When danced with the Aliens of Eiffel 65,

When I sat next to you in your ivory chair;

On backroads,

On highways,

Under the overpass,

Onwards, driving towards home.

Were you safe and warm in your coat of arms

With your fingers in a fist?

Did you hear the notes, all those static codes

In the radio abyss?

I miss when you told me you loved me

When your voice didn't peirce through plywood walls

When your engine didn't roar at 3 am.

Before your words smelled of Appalachia.

When I didn't have to leave you - 

Before you left me.

Oh Angela it's a long time coming ain't it?

Oh Angela spent your whole life running away

Home at last

Home at last

I'm home at last.