WE
      HavE
      A
      PICTURE
     
    
   
   
    
     
      of
      Lake
      Superior
     
    

    
     
      and
      the
      way
     
    

    
     
      the
      highway
      bends
      ‘round
      the
      stubborn
      rocks;
     
     
      of
      the
      keen-edged
      cliffs
      that
      displayed
     
     
      the
      full
      breadth
      of
      calm
      before
      us
     
    
   
   
    
     
      of
      parking
     
    

    
     
      our
      priceless,
      laden
      car
     
    

    
     
      (its
      decal
      of
      Laxmi
      near
      the
      hatchback
      window)
     
     
      between
      the
      painted
      yellow
      lines,
     
    

    
     
      between
      the
      luxury
      of
      the
      first
      hotel
     
    

    
     
      of
      our
      expansive
      journey
     
    

    
     
      and
      the
      seductive
      shoreline
     
    
   
   
    
     
      or
      of
      the
      weary
      road
     
    
   
   
    
     
      of
      red
      wine
      in
      unwrapped
      plastic
      cups
     
    

    
     
      and
      cotton
      sweaters
      —
     
    

    
     
      tush
      of
      blood
      beneath
      the
      skin
     
    

    
     
      dissolving
      the
      evening
      cool
     
    

    
     
      and
      sand
      caught
      within
      pockets
      and
      fingernails.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      of
      laying
      my
      cheek
      upon
     
    

    
     
      the
      wave-smoothed
      skin
      of
      a
      driftwood
      log,
     
     
      the
      crown
      of
      my
      head
      sweetly
      touching
      that
     
     
      of
      my
      Love
     
    
   
   
    
     
      tresses
      mixing
     
     
      blonde
      into
      umber
     
    
   
   
    
     
      as
      if
      in
      sleep.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      David
      Anderson