The Upheaval on Main

Driving home, mind miles away,

a thought unspooling, come what may,

then BAM.

The car bucks,

a sudden heave, a stomach lurch,

a sharp, metallic crunch.

My coffee cup, it leaps, then lands

a little off, in shifting sands

of old receipts, on the passenger seat.

Everything rattles, a percussive beat

of loose change, forgotten pens.

For a second, the world upends.

And then, just as fast, it’s done.

The tires grip, the smooth road won

its battle back. But the jolt remains,

a phantom feeling, through my veins.

How easily rhythm can be lost,

a tiny hill, at what small cost?

Just a hiccup. But I'm awake now.