Mountain trail

My mind stops on the road again

quiet stretch of sky

no cars, no sound 

just the hum of something gone

The silence drifts,

and I drift with it 

back to the lake house we never had,

cats by the window,

you reading,

You linger in the spine of my memory

in the window's quiet light

In my small dream 

The world spins slow then

I leave a note

in my thought

I remembered you

Autumn’s working the trees again 

leaves falling

like they always did,

every 800 years, 

what patience they must know

I walked the mountain trail today —

where an old temple ruins

sleeps in the dirt,

among the empty herders 

mud brick houses

river carving through stone 

time stopped under a canopy of green ghosts,

I sent a note down the river

while drinking water

maybe it’ll find you,

out there where the ocean listens,

where all the thoughts go

find you in some way

Wish you were here,

but maybe you already are 

somewhere between the leaves 

and the sounds of gushing river