Gas & Oil

a faded white

& red Esso sign

hanging

from chains

on a rusted pole

sent

me back

to my childhood when Dad,

would come home late, weary,

smelling

of gas & oil --

a smell

so strong that

as I drove along in this

quiet town

I rolled the window down,

closed my eyes

to try & tell if the smell

was only in

my mind.