“The Road” by Dawn Pisturino

Photo Credit | Unsplash

The deserted dirt road stretched for miles across the scrubby brown desert,
Finally ending at a rusty old sign riddled with bullet holes.
Keep your eyes on the sign, my inner voice prompted.
It’s important. It’s important.
Not understanding the urgency of this message,
I pulled down the rim of my hat
And followed the voice through the loose sand,
Sweating from the sun and heat,
Bracing myself against the wind and dust.
My walking stick thumped rhythmically,
Leaving pockmarks in the dirt.
I trudged along the road in meditative silence,
Absorbing the peace, calm, and emptiness of the barren landscape.
As the sun’s burning ball dropped lower toward the horizon,
My heart dropped in my chest, longing for you.

And then I heard it, coming down the road, a barking dog and an engine’s roar—
A white pickup truck, kicking up the dust,
And a brown-and-white dog hanging its head out the window,
Yapping into the wind. . .
No, no, no, I thought, not believing my eyes.
It’s just a mirage, a trick of the sun and heat,
Shimmering across the sand.
I continued on my way, determined to reach my destination,
Pressing my hand against the gun in its holster,
Expecting a stranger and his dog to pull up.
But I knew that bark, and I knew that truck,
And when I stopped and turned to confirm my suspicion,
There you were, a ghost from the past,
Smiling behind the wheel,
While the dog yapped at me with excited greetings.
 
Copyright © 2024 Dawn Pisturino
All Rights Reserved

Dawn Pisturino is a retired nurse in Arizona whose international publishing credits include poems, short stories, and articles. Her first poetry book, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023, debuted with five-star reviews. Her short chapbook, Lunar Gazing Haiku, became a #1 Amazon New Release in six categories. Her newest release, Haiku for the Midnight Hour, achieved #1 Amazon New Release status in three categories. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, PEN America, and the Arizona Authors Association. You can find Dawn’s books on her Amazon Author Page.

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