Thursday September 14 2017  FAR, FAR AWAY

 

FAR, FAR AWAY

 

Kathleen Martens

September 14, 2017

http://www.visionsofpoetry.com

 

There is something about Wisconsin that calls my name

As far, far away it seems I’ve roamed.

Lost are the quiet peaceful roads

And the graceful fields well-combed.

 

The glistening sunshine peeking through green

In the rustle of whispering wind

No longer lingers amidst the drone

Of traffic which drivers must fend.

 

Serenity of beast languishing in fields

Alongside blooming country roads

Are now but memories tucked in my heart

Amongst crowded city-street noise.

 

Gone is the solitude of quiet moments,

The serenity of books surrounding my view.

Where is the calm that visually feeds

My heart and makes it anew?

 

Where are the bird-calls I long to hear

As I drive through lush green fields;

And the chirping coming from giant trees,

City streets no longer yield?

 

Nor are there deer lingering alongside

Hills ripe with autumn’s bounty.

Instead there are buildings covering the scape

Driving from county to county.

 

No end of city is in sight

As towns blend into the next.

Fraught drivers rushing by

Often seem quite vexed.

 

Wall to wall lanes and slow moving lights

Crowd every sight in my view.

Oh how nice it will eventually be

When with Wisconsin my acquaintance renews.

 

But I have once again discovered

Wonderful people are found everywhere,

Offering time, home, and food to eat,

Willing of selves to share.

 

Need I say more about missing Wisconsin?  We have been traveling for two weeks now.  The contrast driving from state to state is so amazing.  We have come across deserts, mountains, rivers, canyons, petrified forests, little towns, huge sprawling cities, dry barren land, fire pocked hills, bolder mountains, sprawling forests of green, fields of golden brown, acres of flowers, dry flatlands, smoke from acres burning out of control, marshlands, and smog.  We have experienced unending skies so blue that the color is intoxicating.  We have observed cloud formations that have taken our breaths away due their magnitude and glorious shapes coming alive as the sunshine peeks through. 

Driving is relaxing to me.  I don’t fight the traffic and I rarely ever speed.  It is comfortable for me to pace myself with other drivers who too are obeying the law than constantly maneuvering myself to be in front of someone else.  When Dave is driving he always agrees to stop when I need to take a break and that makes being a passenger more enjoyable (and comfortable)!

I’ve often been accused of living “outside of time” and when I drive I do just that.  Time has no bearing.  In the moment is where I stay.  I enjoy my time behind the wheel because I realize there will come a time when I am no longer able to do what I can do now.  And I love my time as the passenger because I visually feast on sights afar which I can’t focus on while driving.  There is no past nor future, I simply live in the “now” of timelessness. 

As I sat down to write for a few moments my mind drifted back to home, I then realized that even though I miss Wisconsin for all that it offers to my soul, I am truly enjoying the now of where I am.  I am far, far away!  We are living one day at a time and have no plans in place, as of yet, as to where we will be next.  Hope to see all my friends again someday when we finally find our way back home!  In the meantime, far, far away suites me fine.

 

P.S.

We are currently in the vicinity of San Francisco.  And the only regret I have is that our friends who are babysitting our house are enjoying all my ripe tomatoes.  My report yesterday was that there are more than they can eat!