Our journey started in a $200, 64 Chevy Wagon

Metaphor being the trail that collapsed

            behind us, Independence Pass, Colorado

No turning back

only way down on

loose shale you hate

 

We drove to Mazatlan

            cards on the beach – sunset swims

drooling hitch hiker in the backseat

was he part of the screenplay

            of the guy in Ireland

Two horses clomping behind his station wagon

            when we were hitch hiking

            ended up watching his horses

 

Who else would know about the time we went

            into the wrong house – staying at Ilene’s

When the baby called me “Dada” and we

            bolted rather than stay and explain

 

How improbable to find the perfect house

            in Portland

somehow knowing we added a spark

To Oly and Helen’s shuttered lives

who didn’t even know

            they gave us a kick in the rear

            to get married

Just like the street guy who said, “Geeeet Maaaarrrrieeed.”

as if he was from another planet.

Maybe he knows the drooling guy

            and the horses in Ireland

 

moved to Idaho, bought the practice

Three houses in a year, bought the third one

then pregnant with Jerome

 

Brought business records to accountant Randy

            in shoe boxes

​

You tried starting a school.

coop in Idaho!

 

Devan joined the party

a long blur until we came up for air

on pristine land on Fernan Hill

that gave us a kick in the rear

            landed in Bellingham

 

don't forget the Vega I bought with money

            borrowed from your Dad

that you looked at, and cried

 

On to Bellingham

Idaho pulled us back

But we kept moving forward

With some hard decisions

            hard work and gift from powers that be...

 

Built a couple houses

            sold some lots for pocket change

And built our house

            with kids saying,

            “Oh no, not the land again!”

 

Another ten year treadmill

Smooth time with the kids

that may not have seemed that way at the time

 

then...they’re off to college

fun trips to Walla Walla

....next on with their lives

 

Lots of crossroads

lucky for us

we held hands

through it...