Marshall County

by James Babbs

I was willing to drive
for more than an hour
because
I wanted to see her
but she kept looking through me
I don’t think
she ever really saw me
I don’t think
she ever knew who I was
or who I wanted to be
her beautiful green eyes
catching the light and
throwing it around the room
I remember
how I held her
the way we kissed in the dark
desperate
waiting for morning to come and
the warmth of our bodies
trying to protect us
the cold relentless and
I dreamed
I could hear it
hammering against the walls
some kind of warning
I should’ve known
it was only a matter of time