The Free Riders
freight train
vibrations
and red sand
goanna-skulk
the yard
lay still
eye prey
till it slows
then strike
pack first
careful legs
up and inertia
hot embers
pierce ears
coal-swarms
descend on
carriage beds
rolling snares
dance lullabies
play the free riders to sleep
it looked smaller on the map
they slow
bail off
dehydrated
slink into
a roadhouse
raid fridges
empty bottles
desperately
overeager
desperately
underprepared
it looked smaller on the map
hide-tanned
in ripped black
they search
the nullarbor
for a piece
of fallen sky
Joshua Lee Shimmen is a writer, teacher and general ratbag.