More Poetry

Its strange how the creative process works (or doesn't work) sometimes. After a relatively long dry period I've written two pretty decent poems in the space of a few days. This one is a poem that I've actually been working on for almost a year now. Its present form only vaguely resembles the poem I had started with. I happened to run across my rough drafts in my desk the other night and started reworking it again. I think having a little distance from it helped immeasurably.

That Long Lonesome Road
by John W. Leys

We started breaking up
Before we ever met
In that little wayside music hall
Tucked under Interstate 5

It began in the simple
Joyous revelation:
We were no longer alone.
It ended with carefully
Chosen and calculated words
In a university courtyard
Where the dark gulf winds blow

By the time you looked up
I'd already hit the road.
Alone with my history;
Fresh wounds to tend.

No knees buckled,
No pleas were heard.
In silence I heard your anger
And waved 'Fare thee well.'

Any comments, suggestions and/or constructive criticism is, of course, greatly appreaciated.

UPDATE: Zach Gardner has honored me by including the above poem in his new blog Poetry on My Mind.