Open Road By Karen Warinsky

Back then I thought

all the place had 

was the sunset

and the open road

showing the way out.

Every street in that town

already walked or driven

every watering hole frequented

money spent on beers

cups of cashew nuts

jukebox songs.

College done

degree in hand

I moved on thinking 

gold was in other hills

and that we’d

keep in touch.

Other sunsets seen

other highways driven

this other life lived

and the rearview mirror

showed the truth

but too late.

Karen Warinsky  has published in various anthologies and literary magazines including the 2019 Mizmor Anthology, Honoring Nature ( 2021)and Ms. Aligned: 4 (2023).  She is the author of Gold in Autumn (2020), Sunrise Ruby (2022), and her new collection Dining with War will come out this summer from Alien Buddha Press. She is a former finalist of the Montreal International Poetry Contest. Find her kayaking or organizing word readings for Poets at Large.  https://karenwarinskypoetry.wordpress.com.