55 Miles From Yesterday, Jane Schapiro, biking, writing



The Idea


A desk, an open window, first floor Palmer Hall.

Inside: a professor. Outside: a birch.

Inside: a lecture. Outside: a breeze.

Inside: words dry as kindling.

Outside: leaves flickering like sparks.

Please, I begged my sister,

we’ll pedal west to east,

let the wind push us across.