outrunning the storm

along a black hole horizon
there glowed a soft parade
of firefly eyes
in the decreasing distance
it flickered, hummed and rolled
over black pavement night
slow as a summer breeze
slick as fresh candles
slithered a caravan of hearts
choking through the southern sea of night

it draws nearer now in memory
parting potholes and swamplands
and boiling bayou sand
as a shooting star divides sleeping skies
--headlights drowning in marsh air
oil volcanoes bubbling in bowels of engines
windows awash in bugs and dust—
an enormous unknown uncoils
bright before my fluttering eyes
the darkness takes a fall

in the coal black curtain
of a texas border night
simmered salvation
perspirating desperation
quelled by the sight
of eighteen coughing wheels
turning slow, popping stones
crackling ground, rattling bones
a furious fresh breath of rest

and i can swear by the chance of sun
(although then i never thought of one)
we had dug this dust nirvana
this beacon on greased dirt waves
out of the ground
with our own shaking hands
and let a thousand tired eyes
put themselves in a jar
suffocate against the sides
and outrun the oncoming storm