Poetry

The Girl By the Side of the Road

You have seen her there. Thumb out. Smiling a weak smile. There were thousands of these girls across America in the 60's. I was one of them. These are the poems from that time of my life.

Roadside Youth 1969

Lonely am I, on a winding road.

Seeing only streaks of white

with flying specks of black rounds.

Thumb out and head down,

wondering who might be kind.

Holes in shoes, pack in ditch,

spaced on where to go.

Seeing scampering mice, heading for home,

the sun making patterns on their backs.

My thoughts heavy, stomach not full,

hoping to find one so beautiful.

Lonely am I,

Thumb out, sign in hand,

watching the sun dance shadows on the sand.

Spare Change 1970

Infinity beyond the stars of now

A child walks in the spirit of the future

Looking beyond the clouds

Kicking stones with bruised feet

Thinking of the elders trying to defeat.

Hands in pockets

Asking for spare change

Trying to explain

but mind is detained

hearing a song from a traveling band.

Hands in pockets

dreaming of infinity

but not of past

Asking for spare change

walking too fast.

THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW 3/9/2025

Lynda DuBois

I catch my reflection in the storefront glass,
tilt my head, squint a little.
For a second, I expect to see
the girl I used to be—
the one who walked with a swing in her hips,
laughed too loud,
and wore heels without regretting it.

Instead, there’s this woman.
Her eyes have a touch more wisdom,
her laugh lines are well-earned,
and her hips? Well, they have their own opinions now.

Just beyond the glass,
a group of young women twirls past—
all long legs, easy laughter,
and that reckless glow of thinking time will never catch them.

I smile.
I was them once.
And one day, if they’re lucky,
they’ll be me—
standing here, watching,
smiling at the way life turns full circle.

I give my reflection a little wink.
She winks back.
Still got it.

I walk on,
not quite as fast as before,
but with a swing and a rhythm all my own.