hitchhiker, Ryan Mattern

show me the wire
so I can get down to it.
play out the week
and I’ll put an end to it.
bring out the pig!
and we’ll smash the change from it.
stick out your thumb
and we’ll run away from this.
tell me your life
I’ll look like I’m listening
while dreaming of
space. the bottle comes back to
me.

why’s it so bad
she asks, sounding motherly.

give me one more
and I’ll think about answering.

smoke in the car
seething out the cracked windows.
counting the miles
on all our fingers and toes.
thrown away sun
with the anisette de bordeaux.
a boy——a man
at a rest stop in barstow.