2026-09

getting ready to go for a two week road trip
driving through a big town filled with bad new drivers
going into the east speaking another tongue
resting for a short night after a long drive east

starting again today with eight hundred more clicks
halting to get some stuff for the long road ahead
going over the bridge into a new brown town
going further eastward up the lodestone hill road

speeding towards the ship five hundred clicks away
finding our way to it through some narrow highways
going over a bridge onto a big island
hopping onto a ship going to the new land

sailing through the dark seas but soon coming ashore
seeing land from afar with a new found insight
driving up to the brook further into the rock
resting fast for the night in a rocky harbour

rising early to see a bright seaside sunrise
speeding past the deer lake towards the small south brook
looking at an airfield where they "came from away"
reaching the near-island named for earthly heaven

taking some time today before getting started
heading to the headlands of a rather far east
looking for a lighthouse in the thick murky fog
driving to the sandman for a much needed rest

thinking about the list of things we need to "do"
listing far too many and doing only one
eating foods called "toutons" and getting "screeched-in" good
walking down water street at the height of this trip

having more to look back than having to look forward
going somewhere again still many more spots to see
looking now at the rooms and seeing something new
dousing the killock then for the night and a rest

climbing out of the bed to see what to do now
ripping up lofty thoughts and going with what works
drifting through the landscape on this almost-island
getting set to set sail yet again tomorrow

waking up too early can either make or break
striving to stay awake while waiting for a ship
driving into the ship with a big black wagon
bidding the new found land a bittersweet farewell

flipping back in my mind to two thousand and one
feeling twenty-five years did not seem all that long
having the day flash back like that of a film room
looking back at all that as the end of a time

starting the day and life in a world already done
riding a wild sharp one for what else can we do
drifting beyond the town whose name sounds like laughing
settling for the evening not thinking of the end

living like it is spring yet with the fall coming
watching the sun come up and think it's still summer
carving becomes drawing, drawing becomes lighting
going homeward bound now for winter is coming

feeling others do well doing only one thing
striving to lift me up by honing in on such
keeping eyes on one thing and getting good at it
finding myself one day hitting my own stride

driving towards new lands all so full of bright eyes
getting to the end goal and soaking it all in
taking some time to rest and not feel so weary
driving back home at last where we can then look back

wanting to know all things in the early going
feeling overwhelmed soon with the mind all cluttered
streamlining all the things to a depth-crushed oneness
feeling much lighter now after cutting the crap

waking up all weary and feeling rather bleak
going through many years overthinking things through
making links among things but still feel overwhelmed
striving to find the time to put it all to bed

taking a lot of time when learning how to start
grasping the gist of it and getting it in time
seeming all straightforward but finding a twist or two
finding that no outline can truly tell us all

running about with glee when nothing sets us back
running into hurdles after a while in the world
thwarting the hidden ways in which they mislead us
building still stony posts away from the loud crowds

having started the year with so much to look up
fighting with ills and hurts that have killed last year's will
looking at tomorrow for a better swing at things
wondering however if tomorrow will come

hearing softened muffles but can't understand them
breaking things into bits they seem to make some sense
knowing we can bend them to make fun of it all
making our own muffles we shift how the tongue works

getting into something with so much hopeful highs
finding out later that it gets hard and harder
seeing others also crowd that something with glee
wanting after some time to find another hope

rising up to new heights a building shows its hope
looking over its rooms we begin to see cracks
seeing all the upkeep we want to shift away
striving to get away we look for a new home

bursting into the world with a need to make marks
seeing the world later for its fake gold and shine
dropping out of the world to hide away from it
showing up seldomly if even at all

wondering what comes next when we are young and glad
having slight dreads later when the thringings heap high
wanting to run away from all the gamesmanship
carving out a small hub for my own things to do

having a bright breakfast drinking a strong hot brew
striving to get work done with some songs in the room
hoping to see outcomes that will make me sleep well
getting close to the end the lights flicker about

rising upwards at first with so much willing
meeting with harsh setbacks along the foggy path
taking heed at the traps only to hide away
lying flat with the back trending against the world

wanting time to do more but not knowing where to start
getting more time later while having much to do
feeling torn up and split about what to do first
getting so little done and then feeling weary

craving to be someone else in earlier days
wanting so eagerly still to "go my own way"
finding out much later nobody gives a damn
doing what we can now until time stops us cold

sliding back into life with a bright new outlook
losing that will later when the crowds come along
having outlooks darken when the crowds keep coming
wanting to slide away into a long nothingness