Radio

Poverty's reward: a short poem

RADIO
(c) 1999 by O. Wade


Night
Deep, hot dog-days stillness
In a secret tree a dove moans sadness

The moon glares, scarred from its battle with the sun
It burns the night with blue-white fire

Inside
Bare-boned walls: two-by-fours; slick, brow-knotted, sweet with poverty
                            Stale lives of tears and bread and soap and pine and urine

On a folding cot, on my stomach, eyes closed
The night smothers me
I sweat away the August fire

Crosley radio; plastic-green with swirls of crème, yellow eye glowing dully in the murky night
I am lost in the tubes and wires
There a strange night carrier brings hope from beyond that ageless chain of green and rock
There are miracles beyond the barrier of those dark guards

Someday I will escape
I give my mind to you, ghost of a distant promise
Oh, fly me away
Dear God, fly me away
.