for Donna
Today, for an hour,
I let the only news be
my body, my friend,
and the road we walked on.
Our footsteps kept time
to our chatter. We
spoke of family and fear,
health and uncertainty,
friendship and transformation.
We smiled and worried
and reveled in the day.
The hills were steep,
and we liked it that way.
Later I try to remember this—
how sometimes I choose
a challenging path on purpose.
How all the while
we huffed up the hill,
we were surrounded
by bird song, by laughter.
How speaking of difficult things
makes them less frightening.
How the road was a pleasure
when we walked it together.