THE WASN'T TOWN

Gazing at a map one day
for wanderlust had taken hold
urging me to get away
to somewhere new and bold.

Six Mile, Lowndesville, Mountain Rest.
I'd been to all these little towns
while on some former untold quest
to have smiles replace etched on frowns.

Then there on a tiny forked road
the map displayed a tiny place
far from any city's overload.
My finger followed the map's trace.

I'd never heard of the town's name.
Well, so what, I asked myself
I think I'll go there just the same
then I put the map back on the shelf.

On second thought I took it down
then headed out to my old truck
put an x there on the unknown town
then shot down the road like a slow puck.

Through the towns I crept along
and in between them almost flew.
It didn't take terribly long
till I traveled a road I never knew.

I slowed a bit to check the map
on a stretch that grew tall straight dark pines
( A wood pecker sounded tap, tap, tap
behind a national forestry sign.)

Then pretty soon the old road split
just where the map declared the town should be.
I double checked but this was it.
No town as far as I could see.

So I found a place where i could park
got out of the truck and scratched my head
while listening to a meadow lark
in a field where winter sedge swayed dead.

Down the straightest stretch I turned my gaze
to a barn leaning from its long years' weight
and thought of how in former days
hungry cows would low for feed and wait.

But there was nothing else in sight
yet for some reason I refused to frown
for the journey taken still seemed right
This quest for a paper town.