How can I express in verse
what seemed like once-in-a-lifetime events?

forty-four hundred miles in a minivan
crossing nine states, visiting five museums
renewing old friendships with new consciousness
appreciating the land from an eco-perspective

Chicago for pleasure before business
strolling State Street, Harold Washington library
Twombly in Art Institute modern wing
meeting nonagenarian docent, red scarf chic

profound and “...tourist art” at Loyola museum
multicolor fall flora at Millennium Park
diversity on display at Cloud Plaza
previewing national parks on PBS

Wisconsin for sales meeting
dining along the St. Croix
witnessing retail relics at Mall of America
empty roller coaster and Ferris wheel inside

driving through windy, frigid Fargo
natural landscape beauty, man-made art
windmills' arms outstretched to sky across plains
giant fields of sunflowers an option to corn

Yellowstone geysers, hissing mud holes, waterfalls
elk antlers peeping through tall golden grass
long-necked trumpeter swans, moose, and bison
fleeing a blizzard over Grand Teton pass

angus cattle, real Montana cowboys
Indian storefront casinos
Georgia O'Keefe, Allen True, Maria Martinez
native American paintings and pots in Denver

miles of prairie on the horizon
savoring Kansas City beauty and barbecue
sampling sculpture, photos at Nelson-Atkins
vowing to return some long weekend

falling in love all over again with my soul mate
celebrating his knowledge and value of his work
thanking God for his priceless devotion
reliving our odyssey nightly in my dreams