Road Trip 2020, Day Seven

there is no escape here.

only evasion.

it’s up this curvy road packed with hill after horse-country hill,

packed with perfect fences and horses whipping their tails,

with cars zooming past, some honking at my hugging-the-shoulder presence as i pedal

pedal

pedal

past these race-won mansions,

these stacked-limestone walls that can’t trap me in or out,

into the sunny, humid heat of midday Kentucky,

so far from home, so far from home,

so near to everything that is hard and easy, up and down these endless hills

in a circle that isn’t a circle.

Road Trip 2020, Day Six (Turtles and All)

a creek paddle day

brings every boat together

for swimming and grins

Road Trip 2020, Day Three

nothing like my park

and isn’t that so perfect?

vines, dogs, shade, creeks, peace.

nothing like my path

and isn’t that so perfect?

sun, hills, curves, town, bike.

Road Trip 2020, Day Two

not what i dreamed of

for our family vacation;

pretty all the same

you wouldn’t believe

how fire Kentucky is

sunsets, family, all

Road Trip 2020, Day One

Kansas welcomes us

for our pandemic travel

and his first crossing

Coronatine, Day Eighty-eight

this is our family

working through each glittered pic

and this quarantine

Coronatine, Day Eighty-six

magic pupusas

like play dough for my nieces

home cooked by my son

side of garden leaves,

fresh cut perfect peonies,

beauty from our home

Coronatine, Day Eighty-five

hiking out hurts us

(to face the world’s anger

instead of these trees)

Coronatine, Day Eighty-four

from aspens to pines
peaks and creeks guide our soft steps
toward tranquility

Coronatine, Day Eighty-three

the packing ordeal
of a backpacking journey
is so exhausting

for these quiet views
we walk into the forest
leaving all behind

(if only we could
forget the masks and all else
and escape this plague)