This poem was recently revised, and due to formatting problems has been re-posted out of chronological order.

U-Turns and Hard Lefts

Aug 10 2006

How far you can go in a straight line

without stopping.

It would be bald prairie, or salt flats,

with policemen, at the cross-roads, holding traffic back

in white immaculate gloves,

until you coasted to a stop

as far as you got

on a full-tank.

Except there are no straight lines or straightaways

on a round planet;

where all roads are bent,

and the shortest distance between two points

runs underground.

And anyway, U-turns and hard lefts

always keep things interesting.

Like questions you ask, you really want answered.

Or going so fast, it no longer matters.

Or swallowing your fear, and taking your chances

with hard women

in after-hours bars,

or strong drink

and even faster cars,

or leaps of faith in darkness.

Because when the entire universe is curved

you can drive, hell-bent-for-leather

or let it ride, and take forever

and still return

unharmed.