that when death approaches your life flashes
it flickers  and if you live it triggers something
more, an urge ,
the crash avoided -the ditch thru which  you around the car the
telephone pole fishtailed just right
and came out spitting earth mud dirt everywhere
but stumbled to the corner
where you stopped , took it all in,
and saw the inevitable collision felt
and heard the smash
of metal and breaking glass
like it happened
but you somehow avoided
and it soaks in to you
makes you feel
somehow gifted or warned
a call to be aware
so you cry your way home in shock
in awe you saw the car right there
no way you could swerve at just the right time and miss
then the ditch you slid into sideways
mud flying everywhere
saw the telephone pole right there
and you somehow missed it too
saw in those instances snapshots
stop action the people in the car
faces that pulled out in front of you
their horror reactions
felt the bang before it happened
crashing metal and glass crumbling
then when that did not happen , somehow
the mud spattering as you fishtailed
into a ditch headlong to a pole standing forever there
and it was not that poles time.
I shivered and cried after , I don't know why.
But I remember during the sliding the tires squealing thinking
I want to hear her say I love you
one time more.
And make a difference
somehow
someway.