Highway 95 Narrative Poem by (Dr) Kevin Kiely

each misspent coffee offered no solace
gone cold, snow-capped—our elliptical orbits
shifting at the speed of light, narrative conclusion
to the breakup movie plot:

she was the devil at the crossroads
as I sling-shot the Subaru
into traffic with rasps of
country rock—‘Oh no! You're crying! '

she'd said in Freedom Bagels—
and her finale with an arm out the window:
‘everything is well tied on the roof rack.
when you drop me off—get your speed up! '

Steely sky glaring on ice spores—
it was a game of Highway 95
metallic gears loading each chamber
stabbing towards Idaho's panhandle—

the vehicle cooled in a side-street—
pushing junk-store possessions thru the apartment
window, the sofa tore its fabric
the polished wood-floor smirked under neon

In Breakfast Club: 1 pizza bagel,1 latte—
the student's scripted tip-line arrived
with my order: ‘This time of night is a black
and white movie! '

Bellowing youth in drunken riot
couples talking low, focused on
each other for more pleasure—

vaulted apartment, algebraic heating instructions
as the day rewound in playback
the streetscape spiralled cinematic snow