Racing
black sky night
no moon
on a desert mesa
gravel road
and a fat javelina
raced beside me
for a moment
Through sounds of
spinning rocks
hitting plastic
I heard the lines
as if
for the first time
“If I don’t get some shelter Lord, I’m gonna fade away”
Into evening
onto highway
stirring dust and bones
drying sage
desert rot
into a stew, a cauldron
I thought of despair
and loss
when they sang together,
“It’s just a kiss away”
On I drove
surrendering to the enveloping cloak
of New Mexico darkness
On I listened
as if
for the first time
On up the road
Gimme Shelter on NM Hwy 180
Adam F.C. Fletcher 