Notes From the Bridge #1

From 10 PM to 6 AM,

In the dark, and the cold,

There are men working on the road.

From 10 PM to 2 AM,

Protected by an orange cone, a padded jacket, and gloves,

They watch warily as the second shift lets out, as the night revelers and the last drunks of the evening pass.

From 2 AM to 4 AM,

There is the sound of machinery,

The steaming cup of hot coffee,

The expectant pause.

I wake up at 4 and don't get out of bed.

Light creeps slowly across the sky.

From 4 AM to 6 AM,

The Oregon Trail of commuters begins to wear the ruts

of travel to and fro.

Keeping the road level is a temporary endeavor.