This Road I Know

This is a poem I wrote called "This road I Know"

There's this flash I get often, a fever dream or a vision of sorts

Most times late at night

And I haven't found out why, but I know exactly why

I'm on this road and I hear gravel underneath me, and I feel it too

And I don't know where I am, but I know exactly where I am

It's dark, It's really dark

And the car is warm, but somehow I can feel how cold the night is

I don't know where the road leads, but I know exactly where it ends

You see, I keep driving

And all I see for the longest while is my headlights, for an eternity it seems

And everything is desolate and empty and nothing and hopeless

I'm lost, but I know where I'm going

I'm safe, I'm warm, I'm driving

And I see this small light

A dim one, growing brighter and bigger and closer and stronger

And the closer I get, the more I see

I make out a house with light strewn across it, a porch, and cars

Some frosted windshields that haven't been touched for hours

I hear a song, and it's faint, I can't make out the name but I know every word

I feel my feet first

And it's cold, and they're crunching, and it's the sound of driveways

And the wind takes my breath with it

And then I walk up to this door, and I knock even though I feel like I don't have to

And I don't know where I am, but I know exactly where I am

And this crack of light widens on this porch underneath me as this door opens

And this brown haired girl with the brightest smile

I don't know who she is, but I know her so well

And behind her, the warmest home I'd ever seen

It's orange and comfortable, there's fire and it's bulb lit

She says

"Where have you been? I've been waiting for you all night, we've missed you"

She says to the kindest smirk I'd seen in so long

Then she tapers off the sentence with the, with peaceful sound that a lady makes

She grabs me on the forearms, pulls softly into the dining room

And there's people, and they're happy, and they're content for one

I don't know who they are, but I know exactly who they are

And we're all standing, and I'm laughing at a joke I'll never hear again

I don't know where I am, but I know exactly where I am

And then she tucks her head between my collar as a friend

Between my collar and my jaw, and there's no weight at all

And I don't know where I am, but there's no weight at all

It's laughter and grins and no tomorrow to win

And I don't know where I am, but I know exactly where I am

I don't know where I am, but I know exactly where I am