A car,
a pernicious premises

to a runaway child,
a curious teenager,
a preacher’s kid,
a lost soul.

A second home, a sly shelter—
its ceilings have seen everything:
her firsts,
her innocent eyes,
her tears,
her laughter,
her screeches.

It has seen it all and has never said a word.
If she escapes, the memories prevail:

when she buckles her seatbelt,
when she locks the doors,
enclosed: the memories stream through her mind.

Through.
Through.
Through.

A car,
a pernicious premises.