Thursday, November 20, 2008

203. I Remember Sylma.



I REMEMBER SYLMA



I remember Sylma.

It was hot, very hot.

We had driven from San Francisco
On our way to San Diego.
We were approaching Los Angeles;
It's sky-scrapers were rearing up, menacingly.

I said 
'Let's go round the back.'
On the map it looked green and inviting.
The thought of an enormous city
Was not attractive.

'Round the back'
Meant bearing left and going up into those green hills.

By the time we got to Sylma
It was dusk
And we were hungry.
We walked the main street
Looking for somewhere to eat.

We found a restaurant 
With a number in its name.
'Three Fiddlers'?
'Ten Green Bottles'?
'The Seventh Son?'
I can't remember now.

But I can remember how cool it was,
And the tasty food,
And the pleasant waitress.
Though not her name.

I hope she is safe.

Driving on the 'wrong side of the road'
Can be exhausting.
We needed ease.
We needed Sylma.


Now Sylma needs us.
But we are on the 'wrong side of the world'.

2 comments:

Mari Meehan said...

Unfortunately California and a lot of the west suffers through these devastating fires at least once a year if not more. Those Santa Ana winds are horrendous!

Kat said...

Can understand the magnitude of the disaster from your verses.

The concluding lines were so touching.