One for the Montana Roadby Ellaraine Lockie
White crosses scatter the roadsides
on two-laned prairie highways
in this unbridled state
Memorials to lives lost
Obliterated by alcohol driven cars
plastered pick-up truck drivers
and barely enforced speed limits
Montana’s independent spirit
manifested
White crosses aren’t choosy
about whom they claim
on glacier mountain passes
Tombstones substituting for
babies, best friends, grandparents
Generations of innocents
swallowed by bottles of booze
Downed by DUI owners
White crosses bear witness
on graveled country roads
to the buried who bought the farms
Testimonials to suicides
and manslaughters
Vigiled with flowers by loved ones
Viewed by motorists as billboards
Advertisements for prevention
Slogans that deter decisions to have
one for the Montana road
Ellaraine Lockie writes poetry, nonfiction books and essays, and serves as Poetry Editor for the lifestyles magazine, Lilipoh. She has received a writing residency at Centrum in Port Townsend, WA, eleven Pushcart Prize nominations, the Lois Beebe Hayna Award from The Eleventh Museand and many other awards. Recently released is Mod Gods and Luggage Straps, a poetry/art broadside from BrickBat Revue. Forthcoming are chapbooks from FootHills Publishing and Pudding House.Her website is here
