Ghosts - The Truck Driver Poem by Paul Warren

The highway went on into the night
As it merged in the horizon to the right
We had stopped at the roadside cafe place
About an hour ago and it's light was slowly displaced

There hadn't been another vehicle as the moon went down
Just our car and the desert with the odd kangaroo around
For no reason the engine spluttered and died away
And it would not start again in a frustrating way

Stuck on the side of the road in the middle of the desert
With broken down car was far from pleasant
Up ahead a strange glow appeared on the horizon
And as we watched it glowed brighter as it came along

After a short time was heard the throaty roar
Of a diesel road train approached glowing even more
We stood and looked to wave it down
Wanting to get a lift to the next highway town

I could hear the truck go down the gears as it slowed
And the truck came to a stop and the driver showed
He jumped down from the cab of the truck
And said, 'I see your down on your luck'

So he lifted the bonnet of our car finding the problem fast
And after two hours we were able to start the car at last
So the trucker stepped back in his truck with a smile
And drove off into the distance disappearing in a quarter mile

We drove off as the sun rose over the horizon
And we reached to where the truck had gone on
I saw down the embankment a twisted burnt out wreck
Of a road train with a picture of our driver we didn't expect.

© Paul Warren Poetry