Night Chasing

Another one of the ladies seen from the corner of the eye.

Night Chasing

Laughed and chided, her mother
As she headed to the door
A young girl in late teens
With a perfected smile and hopeful eyes
She went out the door
To chase the sun looking to be with stars

Leave the porch light on for me,
Momma
I will be home soon

Night chaser, she became
Slipped into her early twenties
Like an evening gown elegance
Her voice dripped honey,
Light as the clouds,
Seductive as night
She took a job at nearby tavern
Kissed her mother’s cheek with hope and dreams

Keep the porch light on for me,
Momma
I will be home soon

Late twenties closed on her
With cigarette smoke and chained drinks
She met Jimmy in front row
He liked the way her red lips, embraced
The microphone, crooning out desire
Fumbling with her dress
Until she could peel away her skin
Jimmy fed on dreams, promising hope
Stumbling out into the night upon his arm
Found her mother’s eyes in the night sky

Where is the porch light for me,
Momma
I will be home soon

When thirties hit, left scars
Wrinkles on her face
Jimmy’s presence drained her and the bank account
She turned to hooking
Her voice dried up, and music blurred in her ears
Dreams dissipated into needles and pills
Hope faded into two miscarriages, fractured bones
Leaving her cold and alone among shattered glass
Rain pouring and her body crying
She swore she saw her mother’s face rippling in a puddle

I see the porch light for me,
Momma
I will be home soon

Late thirties wore her skin into a thin layer of grime
Walked with Crazy Martha along the alleys
Gathered up cans, looking inside
Hoping to find her fleeting dreams
Swirling in the bottom with the discarded liquid
Hands shook and vision blurred under tears
Feeling her age sagging under eyes
Searched every stranger’s face, looking for home

The porch light…
Momma
I will be home soon

She stood in the middle of the highway
Screaming at Martha between blaring horns, racing traffic
Fists clinched on discarded ribbons
Forty year old eyes found her youth
Lying along the freeway, discarded
Stood there lacing her dreams, hopes through chapped fingers
Could hear her mother’s voice in the wind
She took for the hill, seeing her home
Skin clung to bones, arms peppered in scars
Face blistered from pain, cold
Forgetting, forgetting the roadway
Digging into the hill until dirt split open her nails
Blood mixed with tears, while whispering her mother’s name

Keep the porch light on for me,
Momma
Keep the porch light on, please
I will be home soon

I am almost home to you