The pony sighs
as she is unburdened
of small, insulated
bags which my family
carries to the edge
of the paved road.
Surrounded by steppe
so burnt by the cold
and sun that its
yellow husks shimmer
a faint green as if
teasing spring.
The bus appears as
a speck but quickly
enlarges before stopping.
I load the bags below,
my family taking seats
on stools in the aisle
of the crowded shuttle.
They drive off in the
direction from which
they didn’t come,
signaling me to mount
my horse awkwardly
as it spun defiantly
in the swirls of gray
and brown dirt.
Composed 02/05/14
Author’s Note: While taking the bus east out of UB, we made many stops in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere to pick up some herders who live “close” to the paved road. Even herders need to use the buses now and again. No livestock was brought with them, it should be noted.
Two Second Street 