Family
Connected beyond flesh
Apart
Yet together in heart
Missed
But never is it goodbye
Time
Goes by, but thoughts remain
Years
Separate each other
Together
No time has gone by
Loved
As though we are all one

Once upon a time we met
Then years passed us by
The souls' family stays true

Never shall we say goodbye
Family re-met
Let us not lose sight again


DAY 2: DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5

Ok, so day one was a bust' I was just warming up though! I made it to somewhere in Pennsylvania my first night and stayed at a hotel that I cannot remember – amazing how the road just blurs into one big stream. The weather was drizzly and grey, but I felt great. It was good to have alone time; time to think, ponder, reflect, remember, analyze and all that fun soul searching kind of stuff!

Feel the rain
Dance upon your face
Dark clouds above
Swirl in patterns of gray

(Ok, that one wasn't haiku, like I said, I was warming up!)

The road goes on, as do we
Obstacles are that
Overcome, keep moving on

Stop for the night, rest the mind
Ponder and wonder
New adventures unfolding

I sense in the grey cool air
Changes in our world
Mankind's crossroads is nearing

An old couple sits and talks
Wry smiles upon their faces
Time has brought many lessons

Warm morning meal satiates (I really like that word)
More than the body
Time to quiet and reflect (see?!?)

Hard faces stare at nothing
Eating and drinking
Lost to the wonders of them

Two sit and share a new day
There is no exchange
Content to be discontent

The texture of the fruit greets
Sweetens my senses
Full, I am ready to go

*That was the morning of my second day – my first full day on the road.

Not just a friend, a sister
Happy, sad or mad
Cherished forever to me

Just when you're getting sleepy
The lines blur a bit
Thanks for the Red Bulls dude!

Barren land under grey skies
Spots of naked trees
Bleak like the sad eyes I see

Ahead at the edge of the dark grey
A patch of light shines
If only the world would see

The buzz of the road still rings
Wordless chattering
A stop to refresh brings none

A burger along with fries
My arteries scream
Ah, the American way

A trip, a chance to reflect
Remember what's real
How quickly the world forgets

A small child asks questions
Parents are patient
There is hope for the future (added after the trip when going back through)

One can delve into the self
With solitudes help
Introspection calms the soul

Sweet tang of honey mustard
Brings back days gone past
I remember my first taste

Hot after dinner coffee
Calms and warms inside
Almost ready for the road

The check arrives, time to pee
Then back to the road
I need to do this again!

Stereo blares in my head
Good tunes pass the miles
Where the heck is my guitar?

DAY 3: DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5
I managed a full 10 hours of driving and settled into another hotel for the night. Had a restless nights sleep. Weird dreams and felt like someone was watching – a presence if you will. But darker. I tossed and turned a lot. I still felt good that morning though. The first haiku I wrote right after waking up. The first line was part of a dream I was having. I do not remember the dream, just the line. Seems like a pattern in my head.

Cherish now, that's all there is
Yesterday is gone
Tomorrow will never be

Five hundred miles, same faces
Hardened and so stern
What makes the soul so weary?

Though the grey still lingers
I still feel serene
Hopefully for humanity

Restless night, presence felt
Noises and stirrings
Yet I still feel so refreshed

Spicy and full of color
Veggie omelet
Stokes the fire for the road

Taste the flavors and textures
Experience the meal
Oh, what the world is missing

See them talk to each other
The words keep coming
Never once did their eyes meet

I see the sadness around
Where does it come from?
Perhaps from myself I will find

Little do we really see
Find textures in bread
Like the textures of the soul

Hot coffee again prepares
I watch intently
Steams like cold rain on warm roads

Heat from the cup almost burns
Senses so alive
I want to experience

Birds dive, twist, then fly away
A brief dance displayed
Life still thrives around us

I feel that time yet again
The call of the road
My journey just begging

Tears fall from a memory
I see within it
Treasures I'll never let go

A sister I do not lose
Chance for new friendships
A last name does not define

I miss being able to share
That understanding
Savor each moment right now

Long expanses of dark browns
Barren trees huddle
As with all, life will renew

The suns rays reach through the grey
A brief glimpse renews
Through all grey comes light again

A lone hawk sits perched
Mindless cars flash by
Will you stop to look and see?

Vast fields lay sleeping and bare
Cut stalks like fingers
Reaching, waiting to be touched

Slow tired seeps into me
Is it miles or dreams?
A Rock Star to the rescue!

Vivid orange, soft purples
Pastel colors meld
My grey skies to, have parted

Vividness is amazing
When there is so much grey
To really open and see

Sight becomes so much clearer
When the soul opens
Clarity comes from within

The day fades, night comes alive
It's allure captures
I await its dark embrace

First warm smile I've seen in days
A small town café
Befits the journeys progress

Ah, the joys of processed food
Can't be good for you
But it really does taste good!

An IQ test sits by me
Tempting me to play
So easy to feel stupid

Temptations of the dessert
Sweet, hot, delicious
You know you will pay later

Small, quaint, cozy, inviting
Soft colors, light woods
Memories gone past, drift in

The faces here seem softer
Imagination?
Or has my perspective changed?

The warm cup greets my meal end
Again it tells me
The highway is waiting for me

As the world settles to sleep
The night takes over
Invigorated, I go

A small bar in a small town
Drunk conversation
What people do to escape

The girl with all the tattoos
The baffled drunk man
He saw his misconceptions


DAY 4: DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5
Day three was a nice day. Spots of sunshine, friendly faces at the restaurant, interesting conversation with the old drunk truck repair guy (who bragged about losing his license for 15 years and kept saying we should tag team the girl with the tattoos - I, for the record, defended her choice in expression - he was too drunk to notice) and a good amount of miles behind me. The bar tender kept apologizing for him. How the choices we make direct our lives. The girl with the tattoos, sat and drank her bear and looked lonely and very out of place. She left before finishing her beer. I thought about talking to her, but I was feeling more like a fly on the wall (ok, a very big fly that everyone noticed, but I was having fun watching anyway). This day started a little rough, left my phone at the hotel, but it was not a hindrance. I again, did not sleep very well, but felt ok still in the morning. I still felt that expectancy. That invigoration for a journey.

Simple breakfast for today
Feel the need to go
How far will I go today?

A bright sunshine welcomes me
Reflects my outlook
Eager for today's journey

Rough start, forgot my dang phone
Got better tunes now!
Take two, is sometimes better

Miles and miles of dry, brown fields
Stark billboards cry out
The clash of man and nature

Peanut butter and jelly
The fruit of Franz
Sure beats the crap at McD's!

The sun shines boldly on me
Battling the grey
I know who's going to win

Good latte in Nebraska
Middle of cornfields
Open eyes, see what you find?

Windows down, warm winter day
Breathing it all in
Brown countrysides less dreary

Wide expanses of nothing
Seems to have no end
I'd love a traffic jam right now

A short nap rejuvenates
Then a cold Rock Star
Go Kalowski Kadowski!

Out in the open prairies
The sun sets quickly
The day comes to rest, me too

Patches of snow dot the land
The air sharp and cold
Relish the change in scenery

Cowboy town, some cowboy food
Interesting place
See if I can stir it up!

Spicy foods have captured me
Mouth cries with delight
Reminds that we are alive

The beers are really big
Got a good buzz
No coffee for me tonight!

Many eyes upon a game
Intently they watch
Seeking order in chaos

Look at all the baseball hats
At all their tables
Good thing Daylan isn't here!

Fun to observe from the side
Watch the faces change
Wonder what they think of me!

Smiling, chuckling to myself
Amused by my musings
Who is that smiling weirdo?

Greetings from a fresh new page
Wait! It isn't blank
Beer induces strange thought trains

Many fidgeting people
Is it nervousness?
Uncomfortable with self

Serious beer brain sets in
Time for a pee break'
Need to switch to hard liquor!

The beer is gone, time to go
Find my hotel
Then, I think I will drink more!

Amazing how young they seem
Dance to find the self
Hopeful, eager and unsure

Hip hop in a cowboy town
Bizarre Twighlight Zone
I think I kind of like it

I watch the kids dance
Searching, not looking
I remember those days well

Yup, I drank a whole lot more
With the college kids
I see how much I have changed

Good hearts all around us
I see it better
An old dog can learn new tricks


DAY 5: DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5
Well day 4 ended on a fun note. Went out to a local bar in Larimie Wyoming. A small cowboy town that half the year has about 15 thousand people and the other half of the year, when school is in has double that. Met some cool and interesting people. A bar tender going to school to learn about preservation – she wants to find ways to save the ranches in the area and is battling with politics. A good, kind heart there – selfless. It was very strange watching all those kids – I say kids because they were all 15 years younger than me – you could see the eagerness, the youthful dance and strut – trying to impress, to fit, to connect, to find. I remember feeling that way. Then there were the cowboys walking around with their big hats. It was a weird mix. The bar was very rustic with dead animals on the walls – exactly what you would expect a cowboy bar to look like. Then, blaring from the small PA, hip hop and rap – I felt like I was in the twilight zone. A bizarre mix. I hope I can go back again someday. It was fun. Day five started on time even though I got not get much sleep – restless night again – not sure what is up with that and as I type this a week later, I am still not sure why the restless nights sleep' So, on to the final leg of this journey

New day starts simply again
Locked keys in the car
This old dog forgets a lot

Weather is calling for snow
I see bright blue skies
My cup is always half full

They called me Steven Tyler
I like my lips better
Least is wasn't Bon Jovi!

This journey is winding down
I have learned a lot
My journey has just begun

The wind blows the snow sideways
Car rocks two ways
The sun still bright behind me

Holy shit! A wall of white
Dancing on the road
Then bursts of bright sunlight

Another wall ahead
Relish obstacles
Persevere and you'll conquer

Snow rises up from the ground
Leaping at the sky
Random? Trying to get home

Tuning into some quiet
Enjoy natures show
I'll not be missing the rose

Still searching for a latte
Rawlins had nothing
Some towns give new perspective

The miles tick by, fleeting
Like life, goes so fast
Imagine how much we miss

Plains meld into wide canyons
Steep cliffs around me
Asking me to reach higher

Natures amazing wonders
Marred by graffiti
I will never understand

One hundred fifty miles left
I got my latte
It does not feel like an end

Beautiful skies ahead
Grey skies behind me
Gotta love symbolism

An old, run-down RV park
Rust, faded colors
Huddled by the passing cars

The mountains looming ahead
Greeting me back home
Wearing their light winter whites

Creeping, crawling, then zooming!
Climbing and falling
Go Kalowski Kadowski!

Getting close, I can feel it
My family waits
It will feel good to be home

Expanse of mountains stretch out
For ages they've watched
Think they like what they see now?

Dropping into the valley
Great peaks loom
Clouds creep in, dimming the lights

Driving into grey again
Swirling snow sets in
There'll always be obstacles

Winter driving conditions
I love big snowstorms
Senses so keen and alert

Sitting outside, home at last
Snow gently falling
Good to be home, safe and sound

That is part of my journey. This piece may be over, but MY journey has just begun. Thank you to all the wonderful, interesting and wondrous people that I met along this part of the way. Life touches us in ways that we usually don't get until further down the road. This part of my journey would not have been what it was without you all. Stay safe, smile and enjoy the now – it really, truly is all we have.
PL&P~
Franz

I don't know who Rachel is
Thank you for the pen
Dang I wrote a lot with it!