Shotgun Slumber | Teen Ink
  1. Home
  2. Poetry
  3. Free Verse
  4. Shotgun Slumber

Shotgun Slumber MAG

April 22, 2009
By Megan Buckner BRONZE, Gilford, New Hampshire
More by this author
Megan Buckner BRONZE, Gilford, New Hampshire
1 article 0 photos 0 comments
View profile

My face is smushed against the glass –
cheekbone and jawline numb from
the cold, and long hours spent pressed
against the window. Rhythmic breaths
create patches of fog along the contours of my nose and lips.

Out of the corner of my right eye
I catch glimpses of the landscape we
pass by, but I’ve seen it all before.
Concrete barriers and painted lines
keep my driver on course.

Beyond the asphalt and wildflower medians
sprawl cornfields, suburban neighborhoods,
vast parks. Perpetual movement fools me
and for a moment, I am stationary –
free to view the passing still frames
of others’ lives.

Another mile marker and tired eyes flutter –
the endless strings of telephone lines,
cow pastures and landfills blur together
as the lullaby resonating from the spinning
axles beneath my feet sings me to sleep again.

© Cassandra Y., Williamsport, PA

Post a comment
Submit your own

Similar Articles

Previous Next
Poetry
Broken Glass
By Anonymous
Poetry
Pretentious
By Kimora Braithwaite
Indian Trail, NC
Poetry
To a Brother Growing Up
By imperfection GOLD
Gilroy, California
imperfection GOLD, Gilroy, California
17 articles 9 photos 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Dream as though you&#039;ll live forever, live as though you&#039;ll die today.&quot;<br /> ~James Dean (1931-1955), American Motion Picture Actor, symbol of rebellion

View profile
Poetry
When this poem felt eternal...
By KICK3593 PLATINUM
Roslyn Heights, New York
KICK3593 PLATINUM, Roslyn Heights, New York
49 articles 0 photos 74 comments
View profile
Poetry
The Unraveling Scarf
By kiwi12 PLATINUM
Austin, Texas
kiwi12 PLATINUM, Austin, Texas
28 articles 10 photos 365 comments
View profile
Poetry
Do It Now!
By Lost-In-Life GOLD
Whitby, Other
Lost-In-Life GOLD, Whitby, Other
11 articles 0 photos 299 comments

Favorite Quote:
It&#039;s never to late, if it weren&#039;t for the last minute many things would never get done!

View profile

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 158 comments.

Rocinante SILVER said...
on Sep. 15 2011 at 5:54 pm
Rocinante SILVER, Wexford, Pennsylvania
7 articles 1 photo 386 comments
View profile
Yes a good poem! I know the feeling...
Amsterdamsel DIAMOND said...
on Sep. 15 2011 at 9:11 am
Amsterdamsel DIAMOND, Henderson , Nevada
54 articles 2 photos 69 comments
View profile

 THIS IS A GOOD POEM

 

TheNovaClytie PLATINUM said...
on Aug. 28 2011 at 2:23 pm
TheNovaClytie PLATINUM, Woodhaven, Michigan
30 articles 0 photos 63 comments

Favorite Quote:
If I could run away from my problems, I&#039;d probably get lost, and then new problems would find me.<br /> ~Shelby Seeley

View profile
I CALL SHOTGUN! hehe. really great piece. reminds me of why my sister and i fight over shotgun all the time!
Lola_Black GOLD said...
on Aug. 4 2011 at 3:04 pm
Lola_Black GOLD, Harrison, Michigan
11 articles 2 photos 276 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I&#039;ve always been famous. It&#039;s just everybody&#039;s just now finding out.&quot; --Lady Gaga

View profile
Beautifully said! I love how you captured the feeling of riding shotgun. The title was pretty catchy, too!
TeKaila GOLD said...
on Aug. 3 2011 at 11:43 am
TeKaila GOLD, Brookfield, Wisconsin
10 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;When in doubt...keep reading. A book will never die on you&quot; -John Van De Ruit (The Guv from &quot;Spud&quot;)

View profile
wow that was greattt :) I really could seee what you were trying to say
purpleink GOLD said...
on Aug. 3 2011 at 10:08 am
purpleink GOLD, Pendleton, Oregon
17 articles 0 photos 32 comments

Favorite Quote:
The early bird gets the worm but the second rat gets the cheese.<br /> <br /> There is more to life besides increasing its speed.

View profile
This is great! You really captured how it is to sit shotgun
taintedannex GOLD said...
on Aug. 3 2011 at 7:30 am
taintedannex GOLD, Hong Kong, Other
15 articles 5 photos 166 comments

Favorite Quote:
The truth is that at some point, everyone&#039;s going to hurt you. You just have to decide who&#039;s worth the pain.<br /> <br /> Some say having something to lose is what makes you vulnerable. I believe that having something to lose only makes you stronger.

View profile
Beautiful.
Come-n-Gone GOLD said...
on Aug. 2 2011 at 8:50 pm
Come-n-Gone GOLD, Unionville, Missouri
10 articles 0 photos 41 comments

Favorite Quote:
Isn&#039;t it funny how it only takes a few seconds to say hi, but forever to say goodbye?

View profile
i totally love this poem. so many images are in my head as i read it. amazing job!!!!
ElleNicole BRONZE said...
on Jul. 11 2011 at 11:02 am
ElleNicole BRONZE, St. Louis, Missouri
2 articles 0 photos 107 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;My role in society, or any artist&#039;s or poet&#039;s role, is to try and express what we all feel. Not to tell people how to feel. Not as a preacher, not as a leader, but as a reflection of us all.&quot;

View profile

I like this. =) Good job.

Check out my work?

renni SILVER said...
on Jul. 11 2011 at 9:51 am
renni SILVER, Crete, Illinois
5 articles 0 photos 40 comments

Favorite Quote:
Sometimes, that girl who seems so strong, who never lets what people say bother her, who smiles and laughs with her friends all the time, is really the girl who, deep down, is falling to pieces.

View profile
i love this! very good :)
RaindropsCatcher GOLD said...
on Jun. 19 2011 at 6:02 am
RaindropsCatcher GOLD, Sofia, Other
16 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;I laugh, I love, I hope, I try, I hurt, I need, I fear, I cry. And I know you do the same things too, So we&#039;re really not that different, me and you.&rdquo;

View profile
This was one amazingly described emotion/landscape. It made me nostalgic, made my heart ache for home. Amazing work.
peace_love_beauty PLATINUM said...
on May. 6 2011 at 10:05 am
peace_love_beauty PLATINUM, Florien, Louisiana
22 articles 35 photos 121 comments

Favorite Quote:
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalms 23:4

View profile
Aboslutely LOVE this poem. So creative and well-written.
PaRaNoRmAl627 GOLD said...
on Apr. 14 2011 at 8:13 pm
PaRaNoRmAl627 GOLD, Mountainside, New Jersey
15 articles 0 photos 296 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Do what you want. If it&#039;s something you&#039;ll regret in the morning, sleep late.&quot;

View profile
this is beautiful. maybe im just in an emotional mood, but it made my heart ache for some reason
ohmakemeover BRONZE said...
on Apr. 14 2011 at 4:36 pm
ohmakemeover BRONZE, Centerville, Minnesota
3 articles 0 photos 98 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Touch comes before sight, before speech. It is the first language and the last, and it always tells the truth.&quot;- Margaret Atwood

View profile
I can really relate to this poem!  Nice, title, too.
naiya.2011 BRONZE said...
on Mar. 23 2011 at 6:19 pm
naiya.2011 BRONZE, SugarHill, Georgia
1 article 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
Dream,Dream,Dream....

View profile
i love this poem....
Hotaru said...
on Mar. 23 2011 at 3:32 pm
Your peom was good and seems to carry many different ideas within it. This poem is interesting to read. I admit, I was confused at first about what your title meant. But, thankfully from the comments below I realized my mistake at over analizing it.
Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Mar. 23 2011 at 3:28 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love. <br /> Henry Drummond

View profile
This is a great poem!
TeenageParadise_114 said...
on Mar. 23 2011 at 9:20 am
TeenageParadise_114, Cary, North Carolina
0 articles 0 photos 18 comments
View profile
you are a poetic genius
Basketball23 SILVER said...
on Mar. 3 2011 at 2:30 pm
Basketball23 SILVER, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania
8 articles 13 photos 487 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I&#039;m living in a shell with no soul&quot; -Three Days Grace (World So Cold)<br /> &quot;Time still turns the pages of the book it&#039;s burned&quot; -Avenged Sevenfold (So Far Away)

View profile
I REALLY liked this!!!  I love how you described the fog..."patches of fog along the countours of my nose and lips."  I LOVED THAT PART!!!
knifecalledlust said...
on Mar. 1 2011 at 3:21 am
no, its called shotgun slumber because shes in the passenger seat of the car. or "shot gun."