go west, young man

the world looks so dark and dirty at the corners,
but when you counted off paces toward the middle,
drew guns to duel with the death you thought would be waiting to take your soul,
it was nothing but sun glowing in gentle rays off the distant desert,
it all looked like water for the thirsty surface,
while you stood there trembling like the little kid who discovered something that was always there,
but fresh and new in your heart's vision

rippling the puddle your certainty melted into,
this whole globe keeps you unbalanced and gasping for the breath that got knocked out by the thunder punch rain storm,
the beauty you try to take in,
from every fold of plate tectonics,
we're standing in the middle of everything now,
trembling like willow bark,
making new names for the things we see