Sunday, July 1, 2012

Center Line


Road to Yosemite 
At dusk on a two-lane road 
that curves like a Z, the
strip of paint that marks
a border between life and death
suddenly seems to glow
for me. 
How easily one can veer, 
I think. Take care.

A trespass by a hair
can spell the end 
of the road,
so to speak. 
Today's paper 
tells of a head-on 
in Wyoming
that killed three Boy Scouts, 
a toddler,  and a man 
whose car crossed 
the center line 
last night.
It’s only chance 
they strayed across 
the line just as I 
was measuring
its power
with a new
and urgent need
to keep my eyes
on it.