Tumbleweed

i read about those
motorcycle diaries
and then how to repair them
(there was zen in all that -
and maybe a little xenophobia too).

i was scared
and you pulled me
out
made me think i was
some kind of soldier in all this

the money that flowed in
made me feel less effective
as a soldier; more like
a mercenary -
in it for only
what i could bleed out
for you.

don't get me wrong
i reaped part of the reward
but i'm taking my cut back
to the land
that created me -

rolling on -
to the exit
lane in the west texas
dust.

-jim hill (11-25-09)