The Night Attendant at the Gas Station by Michael Penny

January 18, 2023
Poem title: The Night Attendant at the Gas Station Poet name: Michael Penny Poem: You are the priest of the night in the cathedral of Shell. The worshippers arrive perhaps lost, or in need of fuel for stomach and car. They approach your plexiglass, and confess to how much and pre-pay for their sin of being awake in normality’s dream. You do get confused and tired; it’s hard to make change for cash; you prefer the spitted out receipt of credit or debit plastic that speaks to money central as your keypunches direct. In your red and yellow vestments it’s a job, a calling, the graveyard shift we will all shift to some night. You’re the only one awake, alone and ready for the end of your hours at summer dawn’s moment of glory. End of poem. Credits and bio: Copyright © Michael Penny Michael Penny lives on Bowen Island, BC, where, among other things, he is the Chair of the Municipality’s Advisory Planning Commission.