A thin wisp of disturbed dust follows
a pickup climbing slowly up a mountain.
The driver heads north along a sandy side road,
bordering Barstow, California.
There is no clear destination, no place we see
that he can call home that we can visualize
We have just come from family and friends
in Las Vegas. Visitors’ remorse haunts
We still hear familiar voices, laughter,
feel the tight hugs imploring us to stay.
If only the truck could reverse itself
and not disturb the pure brown earth,
could come back down the hill
and put back all of the tiny origins of life
which floated away, changed, left their
sanctity and took up new space.
If only we could go back to the place
home once was and begin again.
—Nancy Edwards
Nancy Edwards, long-time Writers of Kern member, passed away January 5, 2017. She co-sponsored Bakersfield’s National Poetry Month celebrations, coordinated poetry events, and co-hosted readings and performances. She presented writing programs and workshops for Writers of Kern, 60-Plus Club of CSUB, and many others. Nancy was a gifted and prolific writer of fiction and non-fiction as well as poetry.