California

CALIFORNIA 771006
By JC STREET

We came
into the mountains in a fine rain, the
earth

fell away from the road, her hair
fell away from her face

tear-shrammed, near

Susanville
the land changed to a yellow plain, she
said nothing . . . nothing, past

Susanville
we entered the desert, Reno

was a sky promise
shimmering
Aurora Borealis
down the road

Lovelock
blistered with tires with dull heat
dull heat. she

was warm, but
we did not touch, we

skittered across Utah like drops on a skillet, Wyoming

purpled at nightfall, then
only the moon led us
to Cheyenne, Missouri

was like the books say, something
was gone, even the grain elevators
could not restore the magic, the

east was worse, she

did not cry now, just
stared through the window, her eyes
limping over the world, no one

welcomed us home

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