Z-E-P-H-Y-R

THERE’S A CERTAIN CONCENTRATION OF FREEDOM BETWEEN STATIONS
OR WHAT I CONSIDER FREEDOM IN THESE FENCED-IN GLASS WALLS
WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE MOVIES WHEN WE WERE IN OUR PRE-TEENS
TURNED OUT TO BE JUST THE ECHO OF AN IMPRINT OF A CALL
AND I MEANT TO READ TWO NOVELS ON MY WAY OUT TO THE WEST
BUT I ONLY READ THE ESSAYS WITH THE NOTE ON THE FIRST PAGE
AND ALL I WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT QUICKLY LEFT THE SCENE
AFTER FINDING A HOLE BIG ENOUGH IN THE AIR CONDITIONING
OH…
BE MY HOME
I FORGET
WHEN I’M ON THE ROAD
AND I WOKE UP EVERY MORNING NOT KNOWING WHERE I WAS
AND IF THE WHITE OUTSIDE WAS SNOW OR SALT OR PAINTED ON THE GLASS
I FEED OFF SIMPLE STORIES AND YOUR MEMORIES ABOUT WARS
AND I WAS STARING AT THE SCENERY NOT REMEMBERING WHAT CITIES ARE FOR
WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE TRAIN AT MIDNIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL
I FELT THE COLD IN MY FEET AND THE SMOKE IN MY LUNGS
AND I RAN UP AND DOWN THE PLATFORM MEASURING THE TRAIN
LIKE A WEIRDLY LINED-UP VILLAGE DOOMED TO BE ALWAYS TRAVELLING
BE MY HOME
I FORGET MY ONE TRUE LOVE
WHEN I’M ON THE ROAD
CUT THE DARKNESS WITH A PLASTIC FORK, IT WILL SWALLOW US WHOLE
THERE ARE NO CARS IN THE DISTANCE AND NO VOICES ON THE PHONE
EVERYBODY’S CONQUERED THE PRAIRIE JUST LIKE MA & PA
AND I’VE HAD ONE TOO MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT AMERICA
I REMEMBER THE NOTHING SHRINKING DOWN IN SIZE
AND SEEING NOT MORE THAN IF I HADN’T OPENED MY EYES
AND HAVING DREAMS ABOUT TIDAL WAVES AND ALL OF US IN TINY BOATS
I REMEMBER SITTING IN A HOTEL ROOM THINKING MY HEAD WAS ABOUT TO EXPLODE
BE MY HOME
I FORGET MY ONE TRUE LOVE
WHEN I’M ON THE ROAD