she was all alone standing by the road
down there at that stop sign
where three counties meet
and nobody ever stops.
she had a high ponytail and freckles
and a little bit of a sunburn
and a bulging black trash bag

and a bulging pregnant belly
pushing her daisy dukes down low.
she couldn’t have been fifteen.
i hollered to ask if she needed help
and she looked up at me
and she said through a smile-
“i think it’s gonna be alright now.”

i didn’t have the heart to tell her
i didn’t believe her a bit.