cow patty

We are fellow travelers
and when we meet we learn to listen

That hate is a cow patty with tire tracks
running through it
she said
and it's been so long all her life
and her face is an injured eagle

time has passed and the
cow patty
is an
asphalt continent
creaking and cracking and groaning
oh,
it's breaking away from
its raft

And when you meet a fellow traveler you hug her

cradled in the arms
of a mother bear
we were safe as houses

A fellow traveler
She said
god is the space between us
right now
while we're in these chairs
while we're holding hands
and we're not thinking
about our
empty glasses

When I saw these eyes that I had known
and the fellow traveler
he said
You are your fathers daughter
and before you leap away little one
just as you're used to
take my arm.
What will you remember tonight?
My fellow traveler
you are still here

When you meet a fellow traveler
don't you hate her just because her hands appear useless
abandoned to daydreams of tasks
eyes that once were chimes
now sit as
empty catacombs

and

try not to hate him.....
he's as frail as a poisoned fairy
pursued by angry tumbleweeds
though he believes
his hands are useful
oh dear
yes he does,
and they're holding pretty words
while they
wait

well,

maybe
when you meet a fellow traveler

you might drop your weary shoulders
and let your jaw become soft

even if your mouth is wired
even if you know
even if you're right

we just need you
and
we just met.