Big Valley

Modern wagon trail rising from the alluvial plain...

Bridge Over A Divide

Crossing over to another side...

Each time I approach a bridge

which crossing goes another place,

a breath, a flinch, a loaded cartridge,

briefly fears gun barrel firing into space,

since on the other side is a ridge.

Now having traversed span trepidation aside

up and over crest, rocks crunched underfoot,

crushed to reach what is over divide.

Finding oasis cultivated with deep taproot,

With arbor replacing bridge over path as guide.