Magpie Tales - Open Land

Friedman photograph provided by Tess Kincaid

Just back from a vacation with very few cities involved. The prompt provided by Tess for this week's Magpie made me want to run back to the open spaces. Looking back in the rear view mirror at the places I have seen in the last ten days and the sense of freedom few experience.

Open Land

East to west

North to South

Miles traveled without a turn

Like sailing the rolling seas

Unmarked by signs.

Driving for hours

Hill to gully

Mesa to ridge

A land unmarked 

By neon signs or city lines.

Across the Navajo mesas

A random pickup

A gate to a hogan

A lone walker

Slowly walks in dust.

The setting sun

The only directional marker

Monuments of stone

and shifting shadows

Marking time.

J. Binford-Bell

October 2011