Sepia and Old Cars ( for Nicolodian)

I am jumping in to a 30 day poetry challenge. Of late, the muse has been at best relunctant--more often on hiatus--and I have been comfortable in her absence--of late I have greatly dissapointed someone very dear to me, focused inward to re-examine myself critically, and found that despite (to spite) myself, I still have a lot of work left to do. I am working toward mostly groovy, and am hopeful for 2011--for moving forward to building stronger foundations. Writing helps me connect--as I am rusty, I will likely focus on the free-write process--simply putting words on paper and see where they take me. My friend Kim Cartier started a 365 day photo project--a photo a day from her life for a year--I love the thought of that, recording a transitory moment-to build through images a filament of history, a memory string, a life-line, perhaps more so scattered bread crumbs to find your way back--I am thinking I might try the same thing--and accompany the image with words--of course I started a day late ( as to expected of me). The photo above perhaps my day 1 ( a slight cheat as its an older photo)--My friend Nicole suggested I write a poem using this picture. Below my free write--we shall see if any useful poem fodder pops into my free write. Happy New Year to All.

I am sepia and old cars, yesterdays newsprint smudge remains on curling fingers. My hands are alien. Her hands on a box of soap powders
her voice strong-calling me. Frozen cubes tinkle in a mason jar of sweet tea. There is a journey. Five hundrend and forty-one miles from begining to end. The three-legged dog and someones daughter is in the car. Somehow we are all connected. The girl looks like her and I watch her hands as she flips through CD's. The dog is quiet like all survivors of cancer. I have drawn three stick figures on the back side of a envelope and tucked it into the glove box. In the rear-view mirror I watch someones daughter reach out to comfort the dog. I catch my own reflection and for that instant I smile. My hands are on 10 and 2 as I drive.