Tell people you’re moving
to Alabama and their mouths
drop open.
You might have said
Afghanistan.
“AlaBAMa! Why?”
You rush to explain:
family, first of all,
then the Gulf, so close—
dolphins, sea turtles!
Hurricanes, they counter.
Humidity.
Trumpers!
And, always,
“How can you leave Napa?”
as if this thirsty valley is an unparalleled paradise,
as if, beyond grapes and wine bars,
there is nothing at all,
just a drop off
to the end of the world.
Surely I will miss the valley slopes,
tawny in the summer,
emerald after the rains,
the tidy cascades of vineyards
wrapped with morning fog.
I want more.
I want to dip into my past,
become, in my seniority, a kid again
steeped in a world of fresh wonders:
anoles with ruby dewlaps
eyeing me from my porch light,
frogs no bigger than a thumbnail
tucked in the curl of a leaf;
fireflies sparking the night,
painted buntings
I thought were long gone.
Sting rays skimming the shoreline,
hermit crabs swapping one shell for another.
Powder white beach sand borne of granite.
Sea monster fossils sixty feet long.
How much time do I have left?
How can I stay where I am?
That’s it! I’m sold! We’re going to move near you and Cindy if only to see the world as you do.
As Johnny Mercer wrote, There’s such a lot of world to see…..
Xoxo
Oh do. I’d love to have you as a neighbor.💕
I’m glad you’re moving where you want to move! And honestly, you don’t have to justify it to anyone. Best of luck to you!
You’re right, Ann. Thank you.
Yes Ann is right you and Cindy enjoy this next adventure in your life.
Just think- your hair will feel more full and silky, your skin so moist and healthy. Happy Trails!
Good thoughts! Thank you.