Road Signs

Christmas, 2002 / No. 9

In your eyes

the intermittent closure

of sad rain—

roads will close

and detours offer

themselves freshly

—but you’ll keep crying

for the cloud

that caused such

electricity

even though his lightning

was a venomous snake-tongue spit

and his thunder, bullying rams

locked inside white slapping clouds

but he made you feel

soft and pink

not blue or grey as

sleeping asphalt.

So you’ll continue

on this route

until the pavement dries

and the potholes are filled in.

Dayle Furlong lives in Dufferin Grove. She studied English literature and fine arts at York University. Her poetry and fiction have appeared in Kiss Machine, the Puritan, Word, and the Voice. She works as a literary publicist and has worked as a screenwriter’s assistant for the Showcase television series Slings & Arrows. Her debut collection of poetry, Open Slowly, will be published by Tightrope in spring, 2008. Last updated Christmas, 2007.