“Some Words for the Week”

I drove these roads

when I was young

screaming lyrics

into the mountain air

rushing into the open windows

I drove these roads

with my first love

in my first car

both of which were

soon to crash

and fall into pieces

and which I had to move on from

before I really wanted to

I drove these roads

leaving my

high school graduation

driving over the limit

towards college

and the rest of my life

away from the wind

and the roundabout

and everything being closed

by seven o’clock

even on the weekends

I drive these roads now

after having left for so long

and seeing almost everywhere

but here

I drive them to work

and I drive them home

the sun on the aspens

illuminating

the slow fade of green to gold

and I am back

and most of the time

I am happy about it

I’ve got my cabin in these woods

the same where I was grown

and I drive the roads

and I put on some songs

I used to listen to

and I sing into the moving air

like I did

like I do

like I will

over these potholes

and switchbacks

under an ever changing

yet forever sky

Alexander Shalom Joseph is a writer from Gilpin County. He has two published books and one more forthcoming in the Fall of 2022. For more information and to subscribe to Alexander’s Newsletter go to alexandershalomjoseph.com