stopped at a party my night out of town
I had a quick four or five drinks and then I was on my way
nobody could see my red eyes behind the black sunglasses
over a bridge crossing the Mississippi river into Missouri
suddenly I felt like I was Lewis and Clark exploring the west
sixteen hours lay ahead on the road
full of anonymous small towns and decrepit bus stations
grew bored of boredom
this wanderer had seen enough of america passing by
through a dirty smudged window that wouldn’t open
it was time to explore up close and personal
finally got off after an all day ride on the old gray heaving bus
feeling like someone had battered me with a baseball bat
but it felt good to be free -- to be me
hot dry air greeted me and shook my hand
shoes hitting the cracked and broken sidewalk
walked a ways into cactus and scorpion territory
the yellow and brown desert went from hot to frigid
seemingly in mere seconds as the sun died
hoofed it back into town or what was left of it
under a gas stations’ garish green and white neon sign
ate my late dinner of two candy bars
but there I was on route 66 in Arizona
feeling like there was nowhere better to be in the world
found a mansion to stay in for 25 bucks a night
laid on the bed with sounds of some mexican music
slipping in through the hostel window that didn’t quite shut
the hostel clerk told me what part of the city to avoid
so of course that’s the first place I wanted to go
walked downtown in the chilly dark of night with nothing in my pockets
but my shaking hands and a few bills
went into a snarly bar that showed its teeth the moment I got inside
had a couple drinks among the unfriendly locals
got back to the room alright———- no wake up call
woke up early anyway by the bedbugs
a cold biting wind grabbed me by the collar
walking down the path of big stones to the coffee shop
a little breakfast and it was time to move on
