The burly stationmaster
Wiped his brow,
Gazed at his pocket watch
And cried out “All aboard”

We were off.

I couldn’t promise you
A land where
Clocks spun backwards
And the old never wrinkled.
I could only invite you to share
The wonder
Of ordinary things,
The way my hand grazed yours
On the same leash
As we walked the dog,
The way you posed your legs
Across my lap
As we sat nodding
By the fire.

The station had shrunk
To a tiny distant speck
When I slipped the ring around your finger.

I asked you to come away with me
And you answered yes.
Simply yes.
Everything changed.
When I looked out the window,
We had crossed into
A whole new country.

(originally published in Still Crazy magazine)