the hard road

you see his rap
sheet online.
the twenty eight county crimes,
the city
list is a mere seven.
out of state, who knows.
drinking
and women seem to be involved
in most of the charges.
cars.
hit and runs.
one malicious wounding.
stolen property
and a hate crime thrown
in for fun.
it's a long list.
years
of misdemeanors
felonies, adventures
on the outside.
you want to think that he's
lost his way, but no.
at fifty five, he's found
his way
and is sticking to
that hard gravel road.