River Des Peres

To the screeching silence I listen 

As drops of saltwater glisten

In the translucent haze of blurred sight 

And tangerine glow of lamplight

Cautioning the dangers of acceleration

Under these conditions - precipitation.

Rain like tears and tears like rain

Accumulating, then breaking restrain.

Out of their ducts they escape, 

And down cold cheeks they drape

Moisturizing a dehydrated face 

Like a damp cloth to an old bookcase.

I lick the sodium from my lip,

And onto the scent of the sea I grip.

The traffic light flashes teal;

I press the gas and clutch the wheel.

The streets of life and death intersect;

Which to follow, I cannot detect. 

Fugitives of the eyes trickle, 

Like the drip of an antiquated faucet - fickle

Penetrating through surface tension 

Despite molecular apprehension.

Through my skin, the elements burn

And vanish; to dust they return.