heading north
on the cocaine superhighway
coming out of jellico tennessee
there’s a four story white cross
made from squared vinyl siding
nestled amidst pregnant mountains
.
a liquor store
a discount tobacco mart
and porntorium
two exits away
from stinking creek road
.
as you cross over
the Kentucky/Tennessee
state line into whitley county
there is a guard rail
signed
by couples
who’ve run off to elope
in the state
that gave the world
jack daniels whiskey
and a black velvet king
.
i stopped countin’ when i saw my mama’s name the fourth time
she’s where i get
all my southern optimism from
.