hwy 1 blues
driving barefoot
from Posts to Midpines
from coast to mountains
past the blue bay of Monterey
i drive all day
and at night, when i sleep
my mind snakes up
the coastal highway
past the wildflowers quaking
in aquamarine surf
eastbound, green
over the San Joaquin
safe asleep in a deep
purple valley
i dream all night
of driving barefoot
two lanes
transcending
isolation
sharkskin
a handsome man
waits for his lunch
at the fish shack
he wears a sleek grey suit
and talks sharp slang
with two companions
he doesn’t notice me
reading the lines on his face
to tell if he ever smiles
his eyes are blue
just a shade lighter than the ocean
i want his voice to come in softer waves
el capitan
the first time you see El Capitan
it’s like falling from a tree
he knocks the wind right outta you
your stomach clenches
your ribcage aches
your heart is broken
this archetype of a mountain
has always existed
deep in your DNA
“El Capitan!” you shout
and rush foreward
to greet an old friend
climb up the side and recline
feel the shining granite
alternate hot and cool
beneath your hands
survey the valley floor
safe in the arms of a mountain
