Some Other City We Could Travel To

by John Gallaher

This is a covered wagon.  This,
a pigeon. 

Mother is worried. 

When we made it to the next century
we decided to let it
blow our hair around

a bit. 

So we’re walking forward all that way,
dusty and November. 

A spectacular dust

whichever way you look.  A day
of black and purple clouds.  Smoke clouds. 

Mother is worried.  Gold grass.
Gold trees. 

Each sequence you fold into
is bordered by “and then.” 

From this moment on
I’ve decided to call it dancing. 

I’m chasing a balloon across a field. 

I am lucky and happiness,
back and forth. 

I could love everyone right now.

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About the Author:

John Gallaher is the author of the books of poetry, Gentlemen in Turbans, Ladies in Cauls, The Little Book of Guesses, winner of the Levis Poetry Prize, from Four Way Books, and Map of the Folded World, from The University of Akron Press, as well as the free online chapbook, Guidebook from Blue Hour Press. Other than that, he’s co-editor of The Laurel Review and GreenTower Press. Currently he’s working on a co-authored manuscript with the poet G.C. Waldrep, titled Your Father on the Train of Ghosts, due out in Spring 2011 from BOA Editions.