Bonanza
We are on a journey,
a journey over the western plains,
Hoss Cartwright sits upon an elephant
as he leads us all.
He is Majesty complete, thinks I,
he perches with such dignity.
The elephant rolls along as
if on roller skates.
His trunk points
the way west across the prairie.
Our mood is gay as we progress
across the parched land and
we anticipate only great things.
As we get up one morning I look ahead
at a broad expanse of nothing much
a lot of scrub and brush
“Can anything be that flat?” I ask.
“Yes” Hoss tells me,
“One day, this will be Kansas.”
Hoss has dressed as the Pope today
The mitred hat,
the carmine robe.
He loves the drag and thinks it keeps our spirits high.
The elephant’s trunk still points west.
The pope’s hat points to heaven.
Members of our party are
spread out before us.
We travel on elephants,
wagons and feet
and we go on.
©Kathryn Collins
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