Caught among the Wild

His meds kept Andrew sane He lived with us, no one to blame But one day he refused his pills I knew what that meant, a battle of wills. In a few days voices told Andrew to leave. He vanished, left a note I didn’t believe. I tracked his SIM card to Idaho. I had lots on my plate but I had to go. At Boise airport, I rented a car. From there I let instinct be my guiding star I thought Andrew would go where wild horses run So I drove northward to find my son. The scenery had its beauty, the mountains were high The snow on their peaks merged with clouds in the sky In the Challis grassland, antelope roam But my son wasn't meant for a cowboy poem. I drove since midnight, no sleep to be had My thoughts were racing about Andrew gone mad. Then the sun rose over a ridge, a golden crest The kind of view you only get in the American West. I found nine horses grazing and a wraith was there I recognized him by his red burning hair He said “zombie pills are a high price to be sane But I will relent, I will spare you more pain.” I said "Your meds are the best that science can do Let's drive home together, our relations renew It's quite a backdrop you found; I like the aura of the sunrise cresting the top of Mount Borah." He took half a pill, we drove the Lost River east After a while his false voices ceased. Many years have passed since that madness attack But stressed in my office, I often flash back The image remains, stamped in my mind Caught among the wild horses, a son to find, I read my Wall Street Journal, and the thought haunts me So many people are their worst enemy. I saved him, but who will save me?