3640. I'VE HAD MY WAY WITH THE ROAD

I'VE HAD MY WAY 

WITH THE ROAD

I've written through poverty and carted my

cards to theater. I've had my way with the 

road. I've dined with Kit Carson and Jack

Tworkov too  -  no dissembling there  -  

not just anyone would do.  I was once

as important as Time Magazine - now

I'm as useless and wasted away.

There are things I have to do, and

they get done : sometimes slowly and

sure, but never poorly. And more - I

used to listen and watch, all the people

growing old and infirm, feeble and dire.

They keep on talking,. All these things

around hem transpire while they just

go on and on  -  until, one at a time,

(I'll bet) they expire. Life gets like that

for everyone. Hagen berry, listless juice,

swagger jelly and all the rest. I've had 

my way with the road  -  'been there, 

done that'  -  as the billboards used to

say, before they were neon-garish lit,

before they were bold with their stuff,

when Burma-Shave signs kept the

roadsides humming and most

mountains had not yet been cut.