Ocean Spirit

iv. bike trails

speeding down tawny trails

in dusty cheap rental bikes

scrub blurring around us

canopy light flickering over

our sweat soaked hair

just clear air clean skies

and a spark of competition

rolling between us

i push the pedal harder

under the sky-scraping pines

listening to the whistling gales

and his heavy pants beside me

smiling between clenched teeth

his hair slick with sweat

eyes burning with grit

and i just want to say something

'cause i'm feeling this rush

of bubbling sunstreaks

and flurries of cherry petals

but the words get caught in me

too hard to say perfectly

then suddenly a blast of wind

strips away the subtleties

sunscaped trees breathless mind

road running under my heart

slicing through the feelings

beaming with newfound clarity

and i just shout i love you

even though he couldn't hear me

over the roar of the wind

and my untamed emotions

so i slam the brakes

my bike skidding across

the mud cracked bike trail

'cause i couldn't let those words

be drowned by the howling wind

and he zips by smiling with glee

before pausing ahead of me

leaning against a redwood

i love you i shout even louder

my emotions sparking around me

i love you even more

he shouts and worlds glow

the air shimmers with amber

sundrops beaming through leaves

little songbirds singing

over the beat of our hearts

'cause it was perfect

the music underlying his words

a swirl of uncontained feelings

erupting like a geyser

making me feel the magic

of backcountry bike trails

ripping away nets around feelings

bodies too tired to repair them

just waves of electric truth

and uncapturable rushes

between him and me