The Drive to Telkwa

Merritt

Sun slouched upward:

a free-range yolk

over-easy in a dirty

rusted cast-iron pan.

Kamloops

Smoke from the interior

mingled amongst pine

and sage, tawny hills and

sometimes green valleys.

Valemount

The gas station clerk

said it’s always busy:

no gas either direction

a long ways. And there’s an A’W.

Mcbride

Mountains were marbled with snow,

like a python’s black-and-white self-portrait—

a transparent but ultimately unsuccessful

attempt to appear artistic.

Vanderhoof

Clouds like white corduroy

dissipated over leather-skinned

road workers. The slow-stop

binary waited for deconstruction.