The Pilgrimage North

The suburban pressure cooker expelled its multiethnic horde north. Laden with implements of leisure, bicycles, kayaks, canoes and camping gear; world weary travelers of urban and suburban bent surged north ever, north. Bucking, they wrenched in unison at road repairs, shunted into single lanes by flaming orange cones of warning like so many track horses at the gate. Tail bitten, truck locked windows up; the denizens drove forth cocooned in metal steeds seeking the clean air and open expanses, north.

Few, freer souls dare the unfiltered air of the artery, north on motorcycles or in convertibles, hoods down, or windows down, blaring an enlivening mantra of sixties rock as they shimmied forward in the in the endless conga line of commerce, past urban blight. The trip north became a Chaucerian Pilgrimage from Nutmeg State to the Green Mountain State of Vermont.

The border crossed, the sky opens wide-eyed, ridge rimmed dolphin gray clouds swim in a cerulean scene. Roadside picnic tables fill. Monarch butterflies flit in the breezes between  majestic rows of pungent pines. The whoosh of traffic dulls and the robin’s call emerges over the roiling hills and gurgling brooks. Silence falls, complete; upon the entrance to the first gravel road. Heaven is immersed in the scent of fresh hay and sweet purple clover.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2009

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Dietrich Avatar
March 2, 2010 at 10:55 PM
oops. typo on descriptive!
Dietrich Avatar
March 2, 2010 at 10:54 PM
Deborah I am in awe when I see this type of writing from you. Yup, I am definitely more a prose "girl" A big congratulations for this exquisitively desriptive display! Luv, Andrea
Crisci Avatar
March 2, 2010 at 8:55 PM
Congratulations on your well-deserved win, Deborah! I love the imagery and the scenery of this Pilgrimage North. For those folks living in the big cities, they surely miss the scent of fresh hay and sweet purple clover. This is a real Heaven on earth. May you have many more. Enjoy your glory and honor. Love and hugs, Andrew.
Haick Avatar
March 1, 2010 at 5:42 PM
My congratulations on your win in the contest, Deborah! Peace, love, Audrey
Brown Avatar
March 1, 2010 at 9:34 AM
Congratulations on your win in ARPoet's "Act One Scene One" Contest ~Deb~. Love, Carol
Sweetheart Avatar
February 28, 2010 at 7:16 PM
Congrats Debbie on your winning poem in the Act 1 Scene 1 contest.. an excellent write and wonderful win for u to thoroughly enjoy.. luv.. Linda-Marie..
Devonshire Avatar
June 9, 2009 at 8:53 PM
Love the clever description in this write, Deborah. The "mantra of sixties rock" lives on in the aging bikers who have the free spirit to explore our country with little in their pocket. Seems like a great way to live, even when they have to make "road repairs" they also make friends at every stop. Love, Carolyn
Goff Avatar
June 9, 2009 at 7:53 PM
mmmm!!! lush with your beautiful lush lines of description! "dolphin gray clouds" perfection! Deb! James
Joseph Avatar
June 9, 2009 at 1:47 PM
Reminds me of the chaos of the All Of A Kind Family books...
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