On a Straight Road At Dusk

I am on my bicycle

And clouds hang above

But there are miles between

Me and my home still

The road before me

Is straight as a line

With nothing but trees

On either side

The clouds bring dusk

Before its time

And the light retreats

Quicker by the minute

I feel a drop

Then another

And soon enough

The rain is upon me

I pedal harder

But I find the road

Difficult to see

Under the accumulating water

The gloom

Is illuminated by lightning

And the sun has likely set

Though I can't tell in the gray

I fight the wind

Which causes the rain

To pepper my face

Like tiny knives

Then I see something

Perhaps a rock or a bump

That I should avoid

And I swerve

I feel my tires lose their hold

On the pavement

I hit the ground hard

And tumble--

Everything goes out of focus

And I only feel cold

But soon the rain on my face

Returns me to soreness

I sit up

Next to me is my bike

And it's not broken

So I stand it up

But then I realize

With horror

I don't know which way

I came from