Back roads

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In a nowhere town,
In an anywhere state,
There’s a small group of people,
That live tamed by faith.
It’s a comfortable place,
And I knew it from the start,
If you didn’t fight it early,
There’s no way you would depart.

It has a way of trickery,
Like it offers the Divine’s best,
Towns slogan should read-
“Believe like us and be blessed.”

Now I didn’t buy it,
had some serious doubts,
so while I’d reside there,
well I’d keep to myself.

The outsides of the town,
on the east and west,
were connected by dark hollows.
Forests thick with distress.

Weaving through the trees,
a cracked and shattered dirt road.
Shadowed by half leaves,
barely hanging above.

These roads were a perimeter.
They circled the town.
But forked off to the Ozarks,
and ended at the Dam.

Almost buried in the woods,
Once paved, now eroding, 
these roads were nestled next to my home,
on crescent drive where we lived cozy.
I found myself grateful,
for without them I’d implode.
Every morning and night I found myself
ridin’ those back roads.

Now don’t get me wrong,
I had plenty of friends,
Worked 2 jobs, traveled,
attended classes in college.
But it didn’t matter,
at this time in my life,
I needed those back roads
to escape out of sight.

And don’t judge me on this
but a few different times
I’d roll one up and cruise those hollows past midnight.

Questions were answered.
Tears were cried.
These back roads filled a void.
Therapy on a drive.

Windows half down,
music trailing in the wind,
knowing all too soon this will be a “remember when.”
I’d warm my coffee,
bundle up tight,
Grab a lighter, start the car,
to that foggy mountainside.
Hands on wheel,
Isolated because I chose,
tires rolling, burnin’ slow on

 those broken back roads.
Ten years later,
thinkin’ back to those meadows,
That would swallow a town whole
if it wasn’t for the river.

Because I write this from California,
still in my own small shell.
Now aching for those Bethel back roads

that know me all too well.

 

 

 

Published by stephanieroath3157

A southern raised girl moved West. Momma of two crazy littles and a super cute Shiba! A woman who must write!

22 Replies to “Back roads”

    1. Yes! That’s awesome! I’m so glad you like it as you can fully relate! I miss my small town back roads as much as I don’t miss the actually town if that makes sense! Haha Thank you so much for reading! I appreciate your compliment!♥️♥️

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      Reply

  3. I too was raised up far in the woods, where I had to escape but never quite could. I’ve tried to go back and on occasion still do, but sometimes the road home has forks in it too.
    Lovely verse Stephanie. Nice work.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Wow, that’s beautiful! Well you just tied it all up for me! Go ahead and tag that right there on the end! Haha!!
      So you can fully relate as well. It’s funny how you can miss the land more than (most) people. I go home to see my family. If they weren’t there and I never went back, I can tell you, it’s the nature of the place I’d long for the most. So strange. Thank you for you words jim! Have a wonderful weekend!(what’s left!) 😃

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. Home is where the heart is and the home that you know and cherish has a special place in your heart and you can return home whenever you wish to wherever you are!… 🙂

    “It is not easy to find happiness within ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere.” Agnes Repplier

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    1. Thank you so much Huguetta!!! When I logged in and saw this, it brought tears to my eyes!! I cannot put into words how much I appreciate this!!I’m trying hard to be more confident in my work and I can’t explain what it does to my self-esteem to know that you enjoy my blog this much! I’m so excited to dive into this post!! You have seriously MADE MY DAY!!!😃😃😃♥️♥️♥️

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. oh this is so kind! I certainly didn’t mean to bring tears to your eyes even joyful tears ❤
        Told you before you should never doubt and every person is as unique as fingerprints! I'm so glad it made you so happy, it's even greater 😃 Looking forward to reading your post 😀 ❤ ❤

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  7. Soooo you can write too misses! This is superb, it has a real ‘folk tale’ feel to it with a modern slant. Great work Stephanie. I’m slow, very slow, so it takes me a while to get round to visiting all my bloggers but I’ll be reading more of you for sure.

    – Esme beaming her smile out from upon the Cloud

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    1. Sweet Esme I can’t thank you enough for your words. I come from an honest place in this one. And no need for an explanation, I’m slow as well when getting around to visiting fellow bloggers.
      I write now so I can someday I can write as beautifully and profoundly as you. I cannot tell you how so many of your entries touch my heart so deeply. At first I wondered if Esme’s cloud was located in my head!!

      -waving and blowing extra stardust to lovely Esme upon her cloud.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Yes, it is very honest, you can feel the rawness and also that beat is particularly good and the crux of where many poets go wrong, it needn’t always rhyme, but it most flow with a heartbeat of some kind.

        It seems you are akin to Esme’s way of perception, this is a wonderful thing to hear dear Stephanie, thank you in return for reading my words and the kind praise, you mustn’t turn out to be a mad axe murderer now or collect people’s faces in the fridge, or I’ll be proper miffed.

        – Esme Cloud laughing and sending sunbeams her way

        Liked by 1 person

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