They have taken the curves

out of highways now

and paved all the roads

leading to the country

all the bridges have concrete barriers

so you cannot see the rivers you pass over

nor the turtles on the bank

or the cranes standing still as statues

most drivers see only

the white stripe and never look to the side

they miss entirely

the small towns

the creeks

the farms

the trees

remember when we used to wave at trains?

and while cows come to the fence

and horses look up to watch us passing

we only stare at the white stripe

intent on getting where we're going

 

and in the rush of going

miss the beauty of the here and now.