The Howl - Charlie Fink

A bus is heading north

Descending through a mist

That was formed in the warmth

Where the sea and night air kissed

The passengers arranged themselves

To sit in isolation

They spread out along the aisle

Avoiding conversation

When the engine started with a howl

Handling the road like a wild untrained colt

Creaking with it’s load

The bus grinds to a halt

And I’m the only one awake except the driver

The night has been to take them all

And left us two survivors

And then I heard the howl

The dog lay in our way

Spread out on the track

A long forgotten stray

An empty void of black

The driver tried to move her on

But coward back in fear

She would either let us go

Or we’d be stranded here

But when I looked her in the eye

I knew what I must do

I reached deep down into my soul

To memories of you

And I gave a howl

A howl, a prayer full of hope

Like every song ever wrote

Born from a pit of despair

A sacrifice of truth to the air

And knowing the meaning of the song

She hung her head and was gone

Now the midnight bus is rolling on

The passengers wake up

One of them is bleeding

And another’s throwing up

Another two are fighting

One begins to yawn

And I wonder

Surely this is hell