Hitchhiker

The wanderer

I hitch. I hike.

I let the road take me places unknown.
I put my life into strangers’ hands,
road sign after road sign.

Where does the road lead?
Sometimes, the road is dark and twisting,
full of pain and uncertainty.

Sometimes, I pass through purple mountains
and rolling hills of wildflowers,
with rays of sunshine following me.

Sometimes, the landscape mourns,
monotonous, listless and brown,
flat without curves.

One day, I meet him,
on the side of a dusty road,
inside the convenience store.

A package of grape gum
and Chili Cheese Fritos
fuses us together in a conversation

That spans two states
and two nights
in cheap, roadside hotels.

We are pit stop, and we know it,
but two days can hold a
lifetime of memories and richness.

We are only meant for this fleeting experience.
Our souls say hello and goodbye again,
waiting until the next lifetime greets us.

It’s time to hitch, and then hike,
hand waving to a pair
of worn cowboy boots behind me.

The road opens up,
yellow lines fading into the distance,
as heatwaves dance on the asphalt.

For I am a hitchhiker
on this journey called life,
traversing a road map to places unknown.

I hitch. I hike.

Thank you for reading!

© 2021 A. N. Tipton

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