The house is strangely still
even the dogs seem settled
into a kind of quiet anticipation
as if they've guessed
they won't be left behind
suitcases packed
passports extracted from the safe
the long itinerary copied out by hand
how many hours from Sacramento
to Needles, Flagstaff, Albuquerque
Memphis, Louisville
and then at last to Morgantown
a week or more before we pull up
at our daughter's door
in West Virginia

May the highway gods look kindly
on our travels
may we do as little harm as possible
may we bring smiles to the faces of the folks
we chance to meet
and when we reach our destination
may we remember
to offer thanks
for all the blessings of the journey