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from the issue of February 28, 2008
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American Life in Poetry
BY TED KOOSER, U.S. POET LAUREATE, 2004-2006
Thirty, 40 years ago, there were lots of hitchhikers, college students, bent old men and old women, and none of them seemed fearful of being out there on the highways at the mercy of strangers. All that's changed, and nobody wants to get in a car with a stranger. Here Steven Huff of New York tells us about a memorable ride..
Safe
You used to be able to flag a ride
in this country.
Impossible now - everyone is afraid
of strangers. Well, there was
fear then too,
and it was mutual: drivers
versus hitchhikers.
And we rode without seat belts,
insurance or beliefs. People
would see me far ahead on a hill
like a seedling,
watch me grow in the windshield
and not know they were
going to stop until
they got right up to me.
Maybe they wanted
company or thought I'd give them
some excitement. It was the age
of impulse, of lonesome knee jerks.
An old woman
stopped, blew smoke in my face
and after I was already in her car
she asked me
if I wanted a ride. I'm telling you.
Late one night a construction boss
pulled over.
One of his crew had been hit
by the mob, he said as he drove,
distraught
and needing to talk to someone.
We rode around for a long time.
He said, I never wore
a gun to a funeral before,
but they've gotta be after me too.
Then he looked at me
and patted the bulge
in his coat. Don't worry, he said,
you're safe.
Poem copyright (c) 2007 by Steven Huff, whose latest book of poetry is "More Daring Escapes," Red Hen Press, 2007. Reprinted from the "Chatauqua Literary Journal," Issue 4, 2007, by permission of the author. Introduction copyright (c) 2008 by The Poetry Foundation. This column is made possible by the Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org) and supported by the UNL Department of English. This column does not accept unsolicited poetry.
GO TO: ISSUE OF FEBRUARY 28
ARTS HEADLINES FOR FEBRUARY 28
'Going Back' opens March 12
American Life in Poetry
Aquila Theatre Company offers 'Julius Caesar' and 'Catch-22'
'Art Farm@Sheldon' events include live performance March 1
CATHER CHAT
Grad student work celebration is Feb. 29
Melendez poetry reading March 12
Ross movies based on comic, novel
Russian poetry reading is March 6
SHELDON SUNDAY
State Symphony Orchestra of Mexico plays Lied March 4
UNL artists included in March 12 talk
Women artists lecture is March 4
733100S37970X
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