At an early enough hour
travel merges with dreaming; 

had to keep switching stations
as the landscape shifted, 

caught Sunny FM back along
the Wenatchee and some show

hosted by a DJ named Uncle 
Dave.  The vineyard and orchard

irrigation systems come on early,
to minimize loss from evaporation,

weaving cocoons of water 
in the shadows of the valleys.  

Some corners of these hills 
the sunrise doesn’t touch;

at the first summit it dropped 
well below freezing. But soon

this gave way to golden Skagit 
country, horses in paddocks,

happy in their herds; along
the Sauk Prairie I swear

I saw bison. The trucking traffic 
on 90 ended the reverie.

How many roadsigns tempted me, 
go south to Yakima, go east 

to Cle Elum. Go back, go back
goodbye  is too good a word.  

All I can think is that if I had gone 
north to Okanagan I’d be well

past the border.  Sure, I liked your 
face.  But  I like the unknown more.