Farewell Appalachia

from the cape to the hook
with a carpet of leaves underfoot
through the lakes and the pines
with my nose and my ears and eyes

and with the warm sun on my shoulders
and with the river rushing down
i'm walking on a path to higher ground
out of the trees and through the clouds

down the face in the dusk
through the scree at the foot of the bluff
and i drank from the brook
and i slept in the lee of the wood

and in the house where i last held you
our bed was cast adrift all night
and you were taking me to higher ground
out of my skin above the clouds

and in the canvas of a clear night
a billion pins of flickering light
and i dreamed of rising up beside you
among the galaxies and stars

and you were taking me to higher ground
out of my skin above the clouds