A different view of life

Now here's a slant from a view you aren't used to...A Trucker's Lament by Wayne Pond

The highway is my mistress
Seductress to my soul.
She told me of the sights I'd see
the wonders I'd behold and know.

Oh,she swore she'd never let me down
Forever I'd be free...
her hero..the last cowboy
Gunfighter bold and young for all time.

She said I'll be a Mountain Man,
a Voyageur,Astronaut...
All the good and brave ones
Respected and envied by all. Ha!!!

Endless summer would be mine
Pockets full of gold she said.
And she would love me faithfully
Be my love forever....Right!!!

Well I've seen the sunsets-too many
the beauty I just roll by
Never getting to make it mine
Watching home lights....
From outside.

Seeing children's faces from my windshield
Watching Dads going home.
Lights blinking out in bedroom windows
Knowing no-one waits in my bed tonight.
And dispatch says Keep it rolling.

This asphalt lady
Has filled my veins with diesel fuel and truckstop coffee,
Clouded my mind with smoke
And the whine of tires fills my ears
Won't let me rest.

I've seen the beauty but also the ugliness
The seamy side of the city
Where I've shed my share of blood
Scarred and dusty warehouse district.






I've frozen and I've roasted
Chewed sand and swallowed dirt
Spent sleepless days chasing freight
and cried myself to sleep in pain.
Crazy life....

So now I'm old and tired
My youth gone,my innocence
She smiles at me again
And says"One more for the road?"
God...I hate her.

Yet,I still love her
I smile a tired smile
Thank you darlin for your concern
I walk away but she chuckles....
THE BITCH WON'T LET ME GO !!!!!!!!!!!!

Indeed! Although your post seems (to my uneducated eye) an excellent reflection of your over-the-road occupation, I'll bet many of the sentiments expressed could fit other situations as well. Oftentimes, or so it seems to me, we struggle for years with an avocation and then realize we're hooked! Breaking free from that grip can be very difficult, leading to all manner of maladies in the short run. I hope that story has a happy ending for you, though.



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Mr Cat...exactly so!!! I have seen and heard this same frustration among different folks from fishermen who are seeing their way of life disappear to "professional" health care workers. These days everyone seems to share a sense of hopelessness as money becomes more important than people or honour. We need to get rid of the corporate outlook and get back to caring about each other. We need to re-learn truth.

I do have hope... the people standing up to the Globalization scam that the corporations and their bought govt friends are trying to foist on us. Or even the basic love and caring so visible here. We may be down but we're a long way from out.

Amen!



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