“Where Dirt Roads Go” by R.R. Noall
Make a right after the church,
The place your cousin was baptized,
Before you hit the flashing light.
If you miss it you’ve gone too far.
Gravel rustles. Flies.
Canopies of branches
Camouflage the sky,
Already grey.
Birthed from forest,
You’ll come to an empty field.
The road goes to a split-rail fence.
Turn left.
Continue 500 feet and you’ve arrived
At your destination.
I have gone too far often.
I have turned in time, too.
About R.R. Noall
She/Her/Hers
R.R. Noall is a world traveler, tattoo collector, wine drinker, and writer who pets all of the dogs. She's the host of Poems for People, a popular poetry podcast, and a college English professor in Denver. Noall is also the founding editor of From Whispers to Roars, an indie literary magazine based in Denver.
Past work has been featured by Drunk Monkeys. Litro Magazine, Chaleur Magazine, Genre: Urban Arts, RANGE, CEO Lit Mag, and in a number of other publications.