A GIRL WITH BARE FEET

on an empty road

between Boswarlos

and Port au Port

I saw a girl

walking in the dust

(she wore no shoes)

but I didn’t stop and ask

if she needed a ride

because I didn’t want

her to fall in love

and send me scribbled notes

cut in lust and adoration

and I didn’t want

her to slide over on the seat

and with a quick thrust

cut my throat

and I didn’t want

my neighbours in Stephenville

to gossip about the girl

riding in my car

and the wind blew

red russet tangerine leaves

(perhaps the wind blew

the girl’s shoes away)

but not even the January wind

can blow away

my seared memory

of a lone girl

walking bare foot

into winter

on an empty road

where I passed