For Becca and Alex Foss
As I sat upon a mountainside, with all the world before me
I observed the sun, high in the sky, running its daily course
And I thought to myself, Isn’t this the way things are supposed to be?
And the answer came easily, without any doubt, without remorse
All the money in the world couldn’t buy a bluer sky than this
Nothing could warm my heart more than the sweet Wyoming sun
No worldly possessions could ever bring more happiness
Than the satisfaction I feel here when every day is done
So if I ever leave this country
I’m sure its blue skies and western wind will always call me home
And I will stay on this road and follow wherever it goes
Some people may think that all I ever do is roam
But they don’t know what I know—that freedom is an open road
Just the other night, I heard the wolves, singing their song to the moon
And I thought I heard them calling my name, with their strange melodies
And I hope I can hear their song again soon
Because to me, that song is as majestic as a symphony
When I smell these pines it’s a sweet release, from worry, care, and stress
The rushing waters comfort me, and let me know I’m safe and sound
Without any help from man, the way nature planned it is the best
With bears and bison, and the trees and grass, keeping me company all around
So if I ever leave this country
I’m sure its blue skies and western wind will always call me home
And I will stay on this road and follow wherever it goes
Some people may think that all I ever do is roam
But they don’t know what I know—that freedom is an open road
Cover photo taken on the Bliss Pass trail in Yellowstone National Park
This is great. You perfectly captured how I feel when I’m able to escape from this horrible concrete world and in to the wilderness.
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Thank you for the kind words! One of the best feelings in the world is being able to escape to nature.
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Beautifully descriptive! Isn’t nature amazing!? I am getting ready to go out on a bike ride and I live in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. I am in a tank top in March!:) it will be 70 today!
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Thank you for reading! Have a great ride! I’m in the process of moving to Arizona and am looking forward to the year-round warm weather 🙂
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I use to live in Sedona! Where in Arizona?
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Cool! It seems like a great place to live! How did you like it? I’ll be in the Phoenix area.
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It was not an easy time for me! I am a liberal artist type and Arizona is just a tad bit too republican for my taste. It takes all types though and a rigorous 2 party system is important. The best to you and hope the move is a good one.
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Thank you very much. All the best to you and Callie as well!
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This is an amazing piece of work – exactly what my thoughts are – love the pine tree scent- thank you for bringing it home.
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Thank you Willy! The smell of pines is one of my favorite scents in the world. It reminds me of happy summers spent in Yellowstone.
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By far my favorite piece from you, the imagery of everything WEST is simply incredible! I can’t wait to read more 🙂
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Thank you so much! It means the world to me that you like it 🙂
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LOVE is more like it 🙂
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You’re the best!
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Nice podt❤😊
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Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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Beautiful poem! 🙂
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Thank you very much for the kind words, and for reading!
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Great stuff as usual man. Keep it up.
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Thanks man! Will do.
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Beautiful man, it makes my heart ache for freedom. Ache to load up the Xterra and head out to experience new people and view amazing sights.
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Thank you for taking the time to read. I appreciate it. Yeah man, it can be hard to get away, but it’s completely worth it when we do.
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Love this piece. Just a few alterations….pine becomes gum tree and wolf a cockatoo…. and you could be writing from the other side of the world here in Australia. How amazing that you can convey the peace and freedom we all can feel in our happy place even when they are so far apart. Thank you.
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Thanks so much for reading and for your kind words! I have not been to Australia, but I would love to visit. There is something very calming, renewing, and inspiring about nature, even in its great diversity. I’m glad you enjoyed this!
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That is a heartfelt poem. All the money in the world can’t buy a sky bluer than this. That spoke to me. And amen, freedom is an open road, and to some a warm abode.Thank you for writing this, and thank you for visiting my blog 🙂
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I’m very glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading!
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I love this piece because it reminds me of all the reasons I miss my home state of Montana 😉
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Thank you! Montana is a great state. I have many fond memories of spending summer vacation there with my family 🙂
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Thoroughly enjoyable. I’m a great fan of the outdoors, wild camping, and just relaxing while walking and climbing the local hills and mountains of my local countryside in Wales. You capture the essence of it extremely well.
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Many thanks! I love the outdoors as well, and find it incredibly refreshing to be close to nature. Thank you for reading, and for your kind words!
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A beautiful reflection on being close to nature. Well done.
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Thank you! Nature is very inspirational to me. I’m glad you enjoyed this poem 🙂
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Such a beautiful piece. You enthralled my imagination with the imagery and took me on a tranquil adventure. Great work!
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Thank you for your kind words, and for reading!
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You’re welcome!
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Happy to read this post today, it is in nature where I find have found my soul and appreciate this poem so much for that. — Stephen
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I’m happy you enjoyed this, Stephen. Nature has a way of giving us a perspective that is hard to find anywhere else. Thanks for reading!
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There is not enough nature in the world, today, IMO. We shed it at our peril, really. We tame it at our great risk.
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I couldn’t agree more.
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I like poems and I like nature and I like freedom. I’ll follow you because you managed to get all three into one post like no-one else ever could!
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Thank you very much Andreas! I appreciate you taking the time to read my poem.
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The first few lines are my favorite 😀
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Thank you for the feedback, Sarah! I’m glad you enjoyed those lines. The feeling of being on a mountain is one of the best feelings in the world to me 🙂
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Yes, the mountain view definitely evokes feelings ☺️
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Love this! especially the line ‘All the money in the world couldnt buy a bluer sky than this’…so true.
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Thank you Sarah! Many of the best things in life are not bought with money 🙂
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Very good poem. Repetition is a lost art. Have you studied the poets like Wordsworth or Keats? I like your craft—simple poems are good poems—but with myself, I find diversifying my types of poems helps bring inspiration. I say Wordsworth because I think you could try something similar to his, inspired by your hikes in the National Parks.
You might actually get offended by Wordsworth’s difficulty, but I find if you read his poems over and over again, pay attention to every line and punctuation, you’ll figure out what I mean. I would love to see your nature experience translated to those kinds of poems. Though, you’ll have to read one of Wordsworth’s poems and get it to know exactly what I’m talking about. I find you have that capability, but metaphor is one of the most beautiful parts of reading poetry— and with your diverse travelling, you should have no problem finding inspiration where Wordsworth couldn’t.
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Brandon, thank you very much for reading, and for your comment. I have definitely been influenced by some of the poets, but I wouldn’t say that I have studied them–at least not to the extent that you obviously have. You have inspired me, however, to look more closely at them. Thank you again for your feedback and recommendations.
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Thank you. 🙂
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Absolutely graphic, one is by your side in the beauty and escape from the city to the country and the sounds of the wildness. Thank you.
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Thank you very much for coming along on the adventure 🙂 An escape from the city is an essential thing from time to time!
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You really paint a beautiful picture with your words. Very nice.
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Thank you, Brandon. I appreciate that very much!
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