We drove through small towns
to smaller towns, as we passed
wild growths of tress that reminded
me of the East Coast forests I’ve seen.
These trees were old, sown by falling
from their sires and reaching
for intermittent sun, unlike
their brethren (or sistren
if you will) planted in neat rows
along I-5.
In Langley, which reminds me
of my mother—and my step-father’s
family—we ate breakfast,
browsed shops, took
pictures to remember
the day forever.
Sunlight—a rarity
for the locale—streamed
all day, heating me enough
to wear short sleeves in 55º
as we explored Deception Pass
the high highway gleaming
under blue skies.
This wildness is refreshing,
after city and city and city
and city—grayscape of Los Angeles.
For the first time in months,
I can breathe.
Cadence Collective: Long Beach Poets 