Awaken

It's like this
the limestone cliffs are where the dump trucks go at night
dropping fifteen tons of cement blocks
and re-bar steel.

They make gigantic, obstinate sounds
that wake the town's AM
louder than mammoths
when they fell
ten thousand years ago.
More murderous than then.

The driver stands by his cab
crack open a beer and watches
to see what lights will come on,
who will come to a window,
who will press charges
of silence.

The town's peace is just
a glorified version of peace.
Not the peace he fought for
in the 70's, or biblical peace.

The driver knows he no hero,
but all the same he has to try,
to save them
from another night
where nothing ever happens.