COOS BAY

By Charlie Loutzenhiser

 

Zen gulch in a windstorm

on the California coast

Jack Roberts working on the car

getting those gears 'til they sang up the northern coast

and Jack had tuned it just right

until we reached Eureka

 

Over there or where

we tumbled

our race for grace

or so we thought

 

the railroads lead nowhere

the highways everywhere

 

Bright city lights

in the daylight of an Oregon sky

Coos Bay

 

Never thought I saw as sad a face

as you wore that morning in Coos bay

you thought you were there

and Jane she just walked away

 

Splendor and all

you slept

tired and all

as the railroad cars rolled over trestles in the night

 

Don't sleep too much my friend

don't let it numb you

It's just the Chardoney

at this hour

that makes us feel this way

 

Or is it the Zen gulch

or the maintenance that we need

or just Jane in the mist of Coos Bay

and Jack Roberts retuning the gears

 

The editor welcomes all submissions of poetry. Any number of poems may be submitted. Send manuscripts to Sam the Cat, Poetry Editor, Short North Gazette, 404 Thurber Drive West, Suite 9. Columbus, OH 43215. Poets will be paid $10 for published poems. Manuscripts will not be returned, however.