Drenched by Wayne Burke

5 a.m. chiaroscuro of clouds
dark & light
like day & night
like right & wrong
I climb over the
seat into the back
of the car when
we reach Buddy's house.
"Who is that, Al? Buddy asks
as he sits, pumpkin-sized head
in silhouette.
I am a shadow
on vinyl:
the hum of the car engine
soothes me like a lullaby.
In Pittsfield a bottle of booze
is found beneath a seat
and drunk as
rain beats on the roof like
knuckles...
I wake to the great city, cars
people, buildings; Yankee Stadium
drenched, the crowd immense
Maris hit one out
to right;
a big man in the grandstand catches
a foul ball in his bare hand and
stands like the Statue of Liberty.
After the game is called
we leave:
on the ride home Buddy and
Uncle Al joke, laugh
smoke cigarettes
as I
in the back
become more
invisible
each mile.

About the Poet:

Wayne F. Burke’s poetry has been widely published in print and online (including in EPHEMERAL ELEGIES). He is the author of 8 published full-length poetry collections, one collection of short stories (TURMOIL & Other Stories), and two nonfiction titles–most recently BUKOWSKI the Ubermensch. He lives in Vermont (USA).