Finding myself out here again on that old Highway 61once again, and hearing the old cries and commands in my head as I make my way where it leads; the old marching songs of :” Leforight, 2,3,4, sound off; 1,2, sound off; 3, 4, cadence count; 1,2,…3, 4”! And as I look back and know one should never look back but sometimes we do it anyway and see the flames, that are still pouring from that empty boxcar that still sits there on the siding.
Passing that dark courtyard in the North where the jesters are as I see them leaving it, and still I move on and follow to where that Highway 61 has called me to head to like an old friend, as the turning of twilight slowly descends and finding myself out in white sand dunes stretching for miles. Standing here under those sapphire tinted skies and looking back to where those flames are burning, and seeing the tiny red glow out on the horizon as the constellations start to rise and wheel across the sky. And now making my way up these dunes that look ghostly in the reflected starlight.
Knowing it’s a fine line that I am walking out here in these white dunes, as I stand looking out at all with starlight in my eyes and wondering if it’s real or not? And hearing the sound of the gentle breeze and seeing light puffs of sand as they move where sent. Kind of like me when Highway 61 calls and directs me where to go and follow where it leads me, as I find myself standing here and looking at what seems to be an endless horizon of ghostly white dunes. And seeing a yellow moon slowly start to rise on the eastern horizon.
Making my way out to where I see the moon rising and making my way, I hear a sound behind me and old training takes over as I warily turn and see who or what has followed. And watching as my ears hear breathing on the wind and not really knowing what direction behind me it is. Feeling as though I am uninvited once again and feeling deja-vu sweep over the moment at hand, only this time not being at a ball or in black tie this time but out in a sea of white sand and starlight. And spinning around and seeing it’s you and asking why you came or if Highway 61 called you too?
Seeing you begin to speak and try to tell me how and why you came to be here, I whisper you to be quiet here and instead to tell me the names of all the stars in the skies over us. Or the names of the constellations that are slowly wheeling over our heads in the canopy of Heaven, for it doesn’t seem to matter the reason(s) you might give that put you here at this time and place. And seeing the starlight being reflected in your eyes as well and not caring why you are here with me, and wondering if you’re ready or not to make your way down the line with me?
Inside, outside, nowhere is home is what we both have heard in the past, yet it seems while we stand here that those sayings from those self proclaimed saints no longer apply. Especially in this setting of ghostly white sand with nothing but moon and starlight washing over all, and yet when you came here I knew they had lost their hold or at least a battle against them again. Having you look in these eyes of mine seeing they are at times cold like the moon overhead, as I ask if you know my name still and why you’ve been so long?
Feeling those silver sparks igniting a flame I seem to have as a heartbeat, and thinking back to the day we both stood against that wall and the firing party took aim waiting to fire. And how those bullets passed over our head and nothing could have failed or fallen when we kissed. We were celebrating a second chance and somehow finding ourselves here together again here in the moonlight.
Making our way now through the white sand and having you come out of the shadows is like a dream, and now nothing seems real on this trip Highway 61 has called me out on and maybe you’ll know how I feel. And confusion never seems to stop, as I whisper to you if you still know my name from when we first met? And yet, nothing seems to compare with being with you out here as we make our way down the line, and hopefully find a way home where we are trying to get to.
Feeling the wind out here with hushed tones when talking being the norm, and we can’t stop till this is done because Highway 61 is still calling the shots here, (as it does always). But we can still reflect and meditate in those cathedrals of our own and realizing all has changed, with our conclusions being the same now, we work to pass this test that God has given us as one. So take my hand and walk with me until the dawn’s dark light and become what we were meant to be.
Copyright October / November 2007: Timberwolf International LTD.