"Kerouac"

What does Kerouac mean to me?

Riding the Sunburned Thumb to Oblivion!

The sheer exuberance of being able to carry one's own pack,

To hump one's bluey, dog eared copy of "On the Road"

Slowly dissolving to dust in a jeans back pocket.

Not exactly showing me the road

I'd been travelling since aged fifteen

But the first hint that there were others

Seeking far horizons for no other reason

Than they were there!

Apart from traditional travelling people

And those salt of the earth travelling Irish

Looking for the next ditch to dig

The next road to build

All of whom had cheerfully shared their fire with me

And their work with me.

Apart from those Kerouac was

The first to say to me,

"You are not alone out there!"

Despite the gentle hum of silence!

Copyright © Res JFB 8th October 2009