My115thDream

Poem - "'Til the Wheels Fall off and Burn"

It’s one of those nights when the air hangs still
And time just slows to a crawl,
I linger alone a few feet from the phone
But I know there’s no one to call.
I long for distraction, some glimmer of action
To draw my attention away,
To fight off the fears and hold back the tears
And keep my emotions at bay.
My thoughts hold their ground and my head starts to pound
And I fear it may tear my apart,
But these kind of nights must be dealt with alone
And it’s not for the faint of heart.
Echoes of sighs and grim battle cries,
Too faint and too far off to hear,
‘Cross the longest December that I can remember
And an even longer year.
The farther I gaze through the smoke and the haze
In the wake of a life on the run,
The more my reflection ignores the directions
And sets off in search of some fun.
I’m tempted to shout, to go seek him out
And point out the path he should take,
But then where would I be if he chose to agree
To choose safety for safety’s sake?
I’ve learned most lessons the hard way of course
And I’ve pulled some ridiculous stunts,
I’ve been stung once or twice for not heeding advice,
But I’ve never regretted it once.
I can look back at a lifetime of luck
Through a long line of bad decisions,
I’ve broken every last rule in the book
With a cold and deadly precision.
I’ve long since learned, to avoid getting burned
You’ve got to know how to jump fences,
If you search for the gate, it’s always too late
To outrun the consequences.
But tonight the stars, wherever they are,
Won’t find my blazing a trail,
From behind the clouds they wonder aloud
Just why I’ve yet to set sail.
For you see, my love, the stars up above,
Despite infinite glory and grace,
They can’t understand that I’ve played out my hand
And for now I’ve got nothing to chase.
I’ve got all I could want right here in my arms,
Or at least I will tomorrow,
You’ve gone for a while but I’ll be there in style
When your smile cuts through my sorrow.
I’ve kept myself busy the past couple weeks
In a state of perpetual motion,
I put out of my mind that you’re nowhere to find
This side of that lonesome old ocean.
But try as I might to muddle my mind
With poetry, prose, and a pen,
Your memory burned and the yearning returned
For my love again and again.
While I sleep off the pain, you’ll be boarding a plane
Before the nighttime has passed,
I should be in good cheer but I can’t shake the fear
That this time won’t be the last.
We’ll both be all smiles again for a while
But our days in the shade are numbered,
Buy life’s obligations and grim machinations
We’re both so firmly encumbered.
From ways and means and long-entrenched dreams
One can’t simply walk away,
Facing one’s fear and leaving what’s near
Is too dear of a price to pay.
Critics will talk and doubters will balk
At obstacles insurmountable,
But at the end of the day, you pave your own way
And only your soul is accountable.
“Don’t go chasing long shots, boy,”
I was told by a self-proclaimed prophet,
“Play by the rules and hedge all your bets
And you’ll slowly grind out a profit.
It’s a fool’s paradise so don’t you think twice,
And heed your call from above.”
But I’ve never had much respect for the rules
And I only know I’m in love.
You’ve done more for me than you’ll ever know
And there’s always room for you here,
I’ll stick by your side through the changing of tides,
No matter how far or how near.
I’m no stranger to unforeseen danger
And scrounging for one-way jet fare,
I’ll follow you, love, wherever you go
And sort out the rest when I get there.