1 Not what you thought: just a turn-off leading downhill not up narrow, doesn't waste itself has a house at the far end scrub oak and cactus in the yard some cats some snakes in the house there is a room in the room there is a bed on the bed there is a blanket that tells of the coming of the railroad under the blanket there are sheets scrubbed transparent here and there under the sheets there's a mattress the old rough kind, with buttons and ticking under the mattress is a frame of rusting iron still strong the whole bed smells of soap and rust the window smells of old tobacco-dust and rain this is your room in Calle Visión if you took the turn-off it was for you |
© 1995 from Dark Fields of the Republic (W.W. Norton)