The Turnaround

At first, this one doesn't seem so complex, but this is one of my favorites, b/c of the use of "harsh-sounding reality checking" words mixed with fantasy. :) And it stops and starts, then rolls forward. It gives a feel of frustration, longing, and also, it speaks to the attempt to protect the self from pain. Then letting go. Just a peek inside my little brain. Not just the word meanings, but also, the feel/sound of the words is intentional. Songs use this tactic quite often. :)

The Turnaround

When winter’s first snow tongue
licked the highway white,
I wasn’t careful.
Instead, I sped up,
checking the time.
Next came Damien Rice.
Around eight, I took the funny,
wrong exit. Out there,
the phone didn’t blink.
No strange service could reach,
and I wondered if some god
was grinning. Maybe,
if I took enough detours,
this slippery trip would never be over.
Maybe I could find you
on the curious way back,
and we could wear our stupid hats.
From the thin roadside,
maybe I could see you
walking toward me --
bundled in black,
holding two hot drinks,
raising them up,
sipping the side
of one cup’s stubborn drip,
soon waving me down
at the turnaround.

C.A. MacConnell