I jumped out
of the car to pee
where we pulled over on Highway 17
on our way to Santa Cruz.
I breathed in
the fresh wet ferns
and dripping redwood trees
that formed a winter canopy over the side of the road.
She came up behind
me and wrapped her arms
around me and grabbed me firmly
and commanded, “Let go! I want to do it.”
She waved me in wild wintry patterns
at the orange, brown and red
dampened leaf fall,
the litter of redwood limbs already wet from the rain.
—Stacey Warde
