Night darkened landscape smears past. Distant mountains. Roadside scree. No street lights, nor shoulder to speak of. Steep drop to either side of the road’s edge. A single bent and scored guardrail off the driver’s side offers little comfort.
Left hand gripping the wheel, right hand slung over the passenger seat’s back, I twist shoulders and torso to see out the car’s rear window, to back down the road. Narrow blacktop snakes back and forth in hairpin turns down the mountain. The left side of my body is a single, taut length, from foot to shoulder. Though I firmly press — stand upon — the brake pedal, the car gains incremental speed.
No time to spare, to consider why. Every ounce of concentration is needed to keep the car in the lane, on the road. The descent continues with increasing speed. Wheels spit up gravel as I tug the wheel to follow the road’s endless, twisting contours.
“Downhill Fast” — C.Birde, 3/16
Nightjars & Damselflies 
as i read this piece i could feel my shoulders tensing up. the first paragraph is so “tight” that it could be arranged as a poem. and the drawing fascinates, especially with the mirror imposed over the view through the windshield. impressive! — michael
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Thank you, Michael — I’m pleased that the dream’s tension translated. It had not occurred to me to consider the poetic character of the first paragraph…a happy accident! 🙂
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You drew that? Impressive.
I will analyze the dream, later. 🙂
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Thank you — and yes, I drew the image to illustrate 🙂 Derwent Graphitint Color Soluble Graphite pencils and an ancient set of Berol Prismacolor pencils on Strathmore Recycled 60 lb. sketch pad. 🙂
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Well done, missy. I dream of drawing a winding road that sharply…and the rear view mirror to boot.
Did I ask what you used to draw that? Don’t show off. 😛
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