On the Road and Back

                                                Overlooking Maggie Valley, NC

                                                     St Petersburg’s Dog Beach

                                                                 Dogwoods

This past week I have been on the road tent-camping to Florida to visit family and then north into the Smokies near Asheville, NC to visit friends on a mountain overlooking Maggie Valley. Mocha and I are now back home after 3,000 miles in a 14 year old F-250 (I apologize to the environment!).

I have always loved to drive and this was a way for me to get some thinking-time, alone. Still trying to figure out who I will be without Sabine. The night on that mountain the temperature was in the low 30s — (Mocha became party to a “one-dog” night!)

My grief has slowly changed from desperation to a periodic numbing sadness. They say that without love there can be no grief.  When you love another you will grieve them when they are gone. I know that. But what about a a big, huge, enormous 40-year love?

I wrote this poem as I drove north into the mountains and saw my first dogwood tree. It suddenly overwhelmed me. Memories...

——————————

dogwoods

early spring greeters

beckon me

remind me of

a hiking week

in the smokies

(before kids)

now decades later 

i motor by

delicate white

flowers

bark at me 

they call out 

like choristers

scattered among

a forest

still asleep

ah!

that week

we trekked

surprised each time

we saw

those fresh 

flowers 

they

stood out

in radiant beauty

like you

yes like you

i stop

weeping

aching and

missing you

so much.