by Eli Trbovic
The mindless hum of the wheels on the road
Headlights five feet in front of us
A twenty minute drive
But we’ve been on this roundabout for hours
The silence is deafening
I wait for you to speak
Afraid to say the first word
The dusky sky allures me so
Reflections of the ocean in my window
The view treats me better than the threat of your gaze
Cracking me open like an egg
The tension in the air stiffens
I feel your grip on the steering wheel
Holding the car hostage, trapping me inside
Say what you mean
Cars zip by
My red and white light show
A feeble distraction from your frustrated breaths
The car is locked in a left turn
Keeping us steady around this bend
Around and around and around
I tell myself to speak
Speak when we straighten out
I clear my throat
And nothing comes out
The attention is now on me
This seat is my stage
And you are my audience
But I have stage fright
And you aren’t my fan
I have never been able to explain myself to you
So why would that change
Now that we are driving straight once again.
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