The Dust Storm
.
The sun-bleached car was new,
but everything else was where
he had left it that morning:
The forlorn pink Barbie bicycle;
the house with its curtains forever
drawn; last years Christmas lights
wilting from the eaves; the yellow
ribbon tied to the ebony tree.
The white Cadillac with the blue
starfish sunshade, sitting in the
driveway of the for sale clapboard
house; the orange towel and the
kids bathing suit draped over the
porch railing of the neighbors home.
The silver balloon.
His wife heard the car pull into
the drive and almost ten minutes
later was surprised to see him
still sitting behind the wheel.
She thought about knocking on
the window but changed her mind,
letting her palm rest on the glass
instead; while in the front yard,
a swirl of wind suspended leaves
in the air and the sky darkened.
