Sign

Crossing O’Neal Bridge
the welcoming sign
filling up the words
“Coca Cola”
fill, flash, drain
fill, flash, drain
Welcome! You are approaching home…
“Coca Cola”
fill, flash, drain

It seemed a forever ride
in the big back seat
from Sheffield, Tuscumbia, Town Creek…
From Birmingham and parts unknown

O’Neal Bridge is dated
and the river crossing replaced for many by
the Patton Island Bridge just upstream
The Coca Cola Bottling Plant
no longer graces the crest of the first hill
welcoming visitors with its filling and draining sign

And yet, to cross the Tennessee River, headed north
at times still feels a lot like
Homecoming.

Rainy Day Sunset

I was browsing through some old stuff on my other site, and found some of my poetry.

Rainy Day Sunset

The fiery orange beach ball
slips slowly lower on the grey horizon
leading the orange-pink laced remnant of pale grey
into oblivion