On the Road at Night
Driving alone
on a quiet
country road
on a moonless night,
not a single car
or house nearby;
a chorus of crickets
the loudest sound;
the road a
smooth ribbon of black
unspooling seamlessly
into the warm night—
except for
the occasional
pale ribbon
punctuating
the blackness
like a question mark.
I stop the car
to investigate,
step out
on to the road,
and encounter
an old friend
I had hoped to see
on the trail that day—
a rattlesnake,
quietly soaking up
the sun’s warmth
still lingering
in the now-dark road.
The two of us meet
in silent recognition—
each aware
the other
has the power
to harm
but will wield it
only as a last resort.
Tonight, as usual,
we meet in peace—
just two creatures
breathing together
under the stars,
finding our way home
through the darkness.