PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

I woke up early this morning…not quite use to the change in time zones yet…

which was lucky as i caught the full moon just before she set.

And sitting on our balcony…adding to the moon’s surprise…

I was also early enough to watch the sun begin to rise.

I have found there are many beautiful moments in my life difficult to put into words…

and so many of them occur when I wake up with the birds.

Today we headed to Mackinac Island…a Ferry’s the only way

and I took this morning as a sign that it’s going to be a great day.

The ferry ride was wonderful…the sky and the lake were blue…

and we were both amazed when the island came into view.

We stepped off the boat into an island so sublime….

Horse drawn carriages, bicycles, home-made fudge…

It’s like we were stepping back…somewhere in time.

Somewhere in Time was Deborah’s mom’s favorite movie

she loved Christopher Reeve’s final farewell…

and it turns out that movie was filmed right here 

at Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel…

It was one of Deborah’s mom’s greatest wishes…for years she carried this torch…

to come to Mackinac Island and sit in a rocking chair upon it’s porch.

To look over Lake Huron, feel the breeze in her hair…and before she had to leave…

perhaps, if she was lucky…run into Christopher Reeve. 

Alas, she never got that chance before her life ran out of steam

so it was up to Deborah and I, on this day, to help fulfill her mother’s dream.

And that’s just what we did…we sat upon that porch in a rocking chair

looking out over lake Huron and feeling the cool breeze in our hair.

It is here I have to mention something I noticed during our day on Mackinac Island:

Every place we went…it didn’t mater where…

next to us…wherever we were…there was always an empty chair…

An empty seat right next to us…even when stopped to sit upon a wall…

which made me wonder if that empty seat wasn’t empty after all.

As the ferry docked at the end of the day…and we were about to leave

I whispered into the empty seat next to me…

I hope you had a good time…and, please, say hello to Christopher Reeve.

We began the morning in Bark River Michigan 

watching the orange sun calm the waters of the lake

and listening as the sun and waves nudged the birds awake.

The geese began to sing…then a host of other birds added their voices to the tune…

and for the first time on this trip…we heard the elusive loon.

Next we drove along Lake Michigan…stop even now and then to hear her roar…

ending up in St. Ignace…on Lake Huron’s shore. 

Along the way we saw many lighthouses 

not only engineering marvels…but truly beautiful sights…

still in use to help guide ships through the dangers of the night.

It seemed everywhere we looked we saw lakes, and streams and rivers

If there was a body of water was out there…it was easy for us to spot her…

Proving what they say is true…

wherever you’re in Michigan…you’re never more than 6 miles away from water.

This leg of our journey took us across Michigan’s upper peninsula…

a quite beautiful place to be….

We found ourselves, like the natives, calling it the U. P.

Of course we are not natives…that is something we can’t claim…

but driving across this part of Michigan…we felt like Yoopers just the same

.

For instance we drank roadies in our car…ate vegetable pasties for dinner

and that’s not all…

We’re losing our Florida accent…saying Yous instead of y’all.

Yous see it’s not only infected how we talk…

but it’s found it’s way into this poem!

We only hope yous will be understanding 

when these two would-be Yoopers find their way back home.

Today we traveled from Bayfield, Wisconsin to Bark River, Michigan

We are staying at a beautiful cabin by the lake….

The 200 mile drive went smoothly…except for one slight navigational mistake.

We planned to stop at this 52 foot. statue of Hiawatha 

In Iron River…where…since 1964 he has stood.

In my defense…not knowing Michigan 

it’s easy to mix up Iron River…with the similar sounding Ironwood.

So…when we reached Iron River and Deborah read about the statue

I was half right …Hiawatha is his name

but he stands in the town of Ironwood…100 miles back the way we came.

So much for Hiawatha…and my map reading expertise…

but we forgot all about him when we reached our cabin…

nestled among white cedar trees.

We learned from Walt, the owner of our cabin, 

as we felt a cool Lake Michigan breeze…

how, to the Native Americans, white cedars are considered sacred trees.

In his front yard we listened…surrounded by a wide array of flowers 

while Walt told us how they believe the white cedars are imbued with healing powers.

How passed down from their ancestors…were legends such as these…

that there are protective spirits hidden in these trees.

He encouraged us to hug these trees… so we could feel their power too

which of course the two of us were more than willing and happy to do.

The white cedars are also called the tree of life…

because…lasting through the summer heat and the winter cold….

some white cedars standing today…are well over 1000 years old.

If we had to miss a 52 foot Hiawatha…by taking the wrong route

landing in thicket of 50 foot tall white cedar was a wonderful substitute

Stories such as these…like the one you have just heard…

prove once again how life is…and always will be…such a beautiful word.

Today we took a cruise to Devil’s island where the strong Lake Superior waves

from years of crashing on its rocks have created these beautiful caves.

The thunderous booms the waves made as they hit the rocks

led the Chippewa who lived there to proclaim:

This land on which we stand….Devil’s Island is its name.

In every state, city and town we’ve traveled to on this trip

(and I‘m sure as we travel more and more)

we have felt the presence of the people who walked this land before. 

We’ve seen many signs…like the names of places we’ve been…

(much more beautiful in their native tongue)

And again at this stop when we discovered a dear friend’s daughter 

worked at the very inn where we are staying…back when she was young.

Lena is her daughter’s name 

a member of the Bad River band of the Lake Superior Chippewa 

We’re sorry we never had the chance to meet her…

(If only we had power over time…and the past we could re-draw)

But knowing her mother, Monica, we know this is also to be true….

If she was anything like her mother…we would have loved her Lena too.

Knowing Lena worked where we are staying

greeted people with her smiles…walked through these halls and doors

makes this place even more special than it was to us before.

We are not always looking for sings…beside, in front…behind us

but we love it when, out of nowhere, a sign somehow will find us.

So many signs have found us on this trip…some subtle…some quite loud

license plates with our initials, four leaf clovers…angels in the clouds.

To these, with her mom’s permission,…(Monica, we promise not to make a fuss)

we add Lena to the angels in the clouds we believe are watching over us.

And every morning from now on…as we greet another day

we will repeat this simple message Lena loved to say..

We will smile…think of Lena..then whisper how life is a pretty word.

We only wish from her lips these words we could have heard…

For today’s easy drive from Duluth, MInnesota to Bayfield, Wisconsin

as is our nature we took the scenic route

ready to discover what Wisconsin is all about.

We stopped often along the way…(we never drive anywhere straight )

so we could experience first hand the beauty of this state.

We paused at a windmill, an old jail, a covered wagon school bus

and to learn lessons the Ojibwe teaches.

We stopped to admire her trees and take a few walk along her beaches

As we continue on this road trip…we learn a little more each day 

like how Wisconsin…just like every other state is beautiful in her own way.

As we settled down into our old Victorian inn 

which for the next 2 nights will be our home

forgive me while I change the subject 

as well as the direction of this poem.

I’ve noticed in most of my pictures since we’ve been on the road

In my bright colors and by my tie-dyed hat…

I’ve been in full tourist mode.

Which means I’ve been excited when I wake up…

happy to greet the sun every time she rises

excited for the things we’ve planned 

and delighted by all the surprises.

But when I think about my life…in living day to day

I like to think this is exactly…how I approach each day.

Whether in colorful clothes and hats…

whether on…of off the road…

I hope every day I am alive…

I am in tourist mode.

Let me tell you about Duluth…one of the many highlights of our trip

She has an aerial lift bridge (which from our hotel room we could view)

where the entire road is lifted up so the big ships can float through.

It’s Interesting when a ship is through the channel 

it gives a horn sequence of two long and then two short toots

which the bridge operator repeats…completing the salute.

Duluth is a beautiful city…from our hotel it was such a thrill

to see the waters of Lake Superior as well as the houses on her hills

We took a scenic ride up into those hills…paused to enjoy the summer flowers

then stopped to visit atop Enger hill…a place called Enger Tower.

In the park where Enger tower sits…(the wonders of this trip never seem to cease)

there is a Japanese Zen garden and a huge bell…dedicated to peace.

The gardens are quite beautiful…peace is a beautiful thing

and in the quiet of the gardens you are encouraged to make the peace bell ring. 

he USS Duluth took Ohara-Isumi’s, original bell in World War II…after Japan’s fall

and gave it to Duluth…where it was displayed in their city hall.

Years later Ohara-Isumi asked that it be returned …hoping for a good deed

to which the city of Duluth wholeheartedly agreed.

So long after a devastating war was over…Ohara-Isumi, gave Duluth a call

they put their differences aside and became sister cities after all.

Ohara-Isumi gave Duluth this  peace bell…a replica of the one they had returned…

reminding us when it comes to war and peace…we still have a lot to learn.

As together Deborah and I made that bell chime

we thought of the men and women who fought and died all those years before

with the hope that ringing a peace bell could help stop all future wars.

We made two long then two short chimes on that bell

as a salute to those men and women who fought and died following their commands

praying one day peace will ring out

 in every household, 

every city

every corner of every land.,,

 Since leaving Banff we’ve driven 1200 miles 

(as a nod to Deborah’s dad we drive only during the day!)

and we’ve stopped for the night in 6 different spots along the way.

So after driving 260 miles today…we were happy…that’s the truth!

to be spending the next two nights in a hotel in Duluth.

Today, just like the other days when it came to roadside attractions we got our wish.

We stopped at the biggest ox cart in the world…and stood inside a 65 foot long fish.

This wonderful trip we’re on which is now only halfway through

has been interspersed with a host of surprises and many spectacular views.

We’ve touched the Pacific Ocean…where the mountains meet the sea

It was too cold to go swimming…on that we both agree!

We drove around and over those mountains…saw a hundred or more trains

Then headed eastward on our trip to where the mountains meet the plains. 

Today we again drove over the plains…wherever we stopped the sun was shining 

and we were cooled by a summer breeze 

Today’s trip took us to into Minnesota where the plains give way to the trees.

As I reflect on the 4200 miles we’ve driven on our Great Northern Road Trip

I wouldn’t change a thing….

And I can’t wait to see what what the second half of this wonderful trip will bring.

Today’s trip was all in North Dakota…from Minot to Grand Forks 

On our way to a city named f Lakota

we made a stop in the little town of Rugby, North Dakota.

Rugby has a valued place in the hearts and minds of cartographic esoterica…because Rugby, North Dakota is known

as the geographical center of North America.

Rugby’s celebration of this fact is subtle…

apparently this distinguished fact Rugby is not one to flaunt.

Its true they built a rock obelisk to commemorate this fact

but it sits outside a Mexican restaurant. 

As we stopped to take a picture…and were searching for the best shot

another car with tourists just like us pulled into the parking lot.

This is how we met Pat and Sherry…which on this trip has become a familiar scenario.

They were returning form their place in Texas…to their home in Ontario. 

We took each other’s photos…made sure to catch each other’s smiles

And then we stood around, as travelers do, 

and talked with one another for a while.

And though we started out two sets of strangers…

two unlikely pairs…

we shared with them a little about our life, our travels…

and they shared with us…a little about theirs.

After spending a few minutes together at the beginning this day

we wished each other safe travels…and all went on our way.

And now Pat and Sherry…hold a place in our Great Northern Trip esoterica…

friends we made while standing…in the center of North America

 Today we drove from Wolf Point, Montana to Minot North Dakota

making one major stop on the trip…

at the Dakota Drug Store in Stanley, North Dakota to enjoy a Whirla-Whip.

What makes this treat so special and why we had to stop today

is they have the only remaining original Whira-Whip machine in the entire USA.

In the 1930’s Whirla-Whip thought they knew what their customers deserved.

Their machine took frozen ice cream…mixed it with other flavors 

and, voila, the mixture came out soft serve.

What made this machine unique, still does, in the 1930’s speak…it was dreamy

how frozen ice cream went in…and came out smooth and creamy.

Whirla-Whip didn’t take off like they hoped it would…

soon these machines were nowhere to be seen…

replaced by soft serving establishments…like those at Dairy Queen. 

But the Dakota Drug store’s Whirla-Whip remains…

and as far as ice cream on this trip…we haven’t had our quota…

which brought us to this soda fountain…in Stanley, North Dakota.

We shared a spoonful with each other…but the rest ate a capella 

I had chocolate with brownie cake and peanut butter

Deborah…vanilla, peanut butter…with Nutella.

And it was smooth and it was creamy…but what really blew us away

were the people we met and talked to…at the soda fountain that day.

Two air force men (I must be getting old because they looked more like boys) 

talked with us a bringing us such joy.

And we stayed and talked with the three young girls 

the ones who made our Whirla-Whips

We talked about their winters in North Dakota…

and they asked us about our trip.

If I had to describe, so far, each part of the first 3000 miles of our trip

I’d have to say it’s been amazing…and a lot like our Whirla-Whips 

How different people, each with different flavors, mix together…

just as we did at the Stanley, North Dakota Drug Store….

and how those flavors once mixed together…

come out tasting better than each flavor did before.