thunder road

it was frightening
news to hear that
bruce, yes that bruce
had turned sixty one
the other day. nine
years short of seventy.
good lord. how long
can it be when we
were in the car, flying
down a stretch of
beach road between
ocean city and delaware
with the windows
rolled down, singing
as loud as we possibly
could, thunder road.
heading out or heading
in, it didn't matter.
the night held every
possibility we could
imagine. and we sang
with all the joy of
being young, of being
strong, being nearly
untethered by most
of life. the screen
door slams, mary's dress
waves. like a vision
she dances across the
porch as the radio plays.
roy orbison singing
for the lonely, hey
that's me and i want
you only....