The Poetry of Ruth - Pg 8

The Bridges of Madison County
(Based on the book, "The Bridges of Madison County, by Robert James Waller)

Long...
dark in old wood
where man
suffers for beauty
and the train
moved through
the depth of his pain
slowly...
over rickety planks
through the dark tunnels
where they met
under the covered bridges
of Madison County
where God shed His grace on the dew
of red mornin's dawn
under clouds
gray in the sky
that sent him inside
with wet kisses
strung long
across the river
stilled
by sweet summer's hot breath
that touches
the meadow of straw fields
along the bridges
of Madison County

Whose horn blows
the blue notes to his song
hollow
long
empty
full
soft
hard
deep
in the woodsmoke
where the distant highway
leads
to an ancient passage
o
        v
              e
                   r
rugged mountain rocks
of silver-gray sounds
where there rose
a man
capturing his love
through the lens
of dimension ...Z
shooting
where beautiful be
wilderness
wild flowers
on a voyage to India
near the bridges
of Madison County

Red glow
of a lit cigarette
sending white smoke
in the quiet light
of the late summer night
with Patsy Cline's
"Sweet Dreams"
enveloping the scent
of perfumed wind's song
nearby
telling where
magic was spent
and danced
upon the candelit walls
of the brides
of Madison County

You'll find his ashes there
in the dust
of memories
mixed with sweet sad tears
where she knelt
in the tracks
of their story
not known to the young
having not lived
the music
the song
the blue of his eyes
like the rivers
from faraway places
which traces the lines
in his face
along the path
of the bridges
of Madison County

long
and deep
hollow blue
haunting
hard
rugged and worn
sings the horn
are the bridges
of Madison County

(Thank you Robert James, for the touch of your hand.  Love, Ruth)