Let’s Find a Rock

*** Inspired by the song "Big A*s Rock" from the play The Full Monty

I mean a big a*s rock

bigger than the one on your finger

bigger

than the one in my head

 

when we were kids

we lived          five minutes away

we had a tree fort hidden

better than leftover Halloween candy           

afternoons all we did was lie on blankets

in the front lawn        we made clouds

into the hope of any writer’s wastebasket

 

when stitched bones taught you to give up

the playground      I followed you

to the railroad tracks

along the water’s edge             at the beach

we tormented the blue crabs    happy

 

in those days

every wrong turn was an adventure

and your hair was lighter

by at least four shades of heartbreak

I wish I could have saved you

 

at least        we still have

the empty highways of Texas

and our mountain in New Mexico       we climbed

Black Mesa to find the cave and found

the nights were endless out there       still     

                        you sound like home

and I need you to know

one day    when the road grit has worn

through my soles     I promise

to come back