Francess Archer Dunbar

On Driving Home at 5am on North Miami Ave

At the crossroads,

there is a seance.

Below–the

glowing asphalt

of a reformed

brownfield.

Above–the

Dog star of

summer is

solid red.

Always someone

selling roses

or a vacant need.

We are choking

on air and tongues

and the smell

of ozone.

Catty-corner

at the dairy,

sleek silver tube

trucks rest

low and heavy

to the ground.

The polyester

carpet map

unfolds in that

vacant boyish mind.

On the highway,

I once saw

a speeding bullet burst;

it bled black sludge,

nothing organic.

We continued

on.

Francess Archer Dunbar is a writer, poet, and printmaker from North Miami, Florida. She works as an assistant creative writing teacher with the O, Miami Poetry Festival’s Sunroom program in public schools. Links to her other published work can be found at saintfrancess.com.