Driving South

Leaving Burlington for the long drive home.
A good trip, with good business days,
and sweet, loving nights.
Heading south, through Shelburne,
Route 7 stays high on a ridge

To the east the Green Mountains are gray
Peak after high peak, valley and notch
They are deep, divide Vermont, and help define her
Now, with the sun rising just above them,
they look cut out against the sky

To the west are the Adirondacks.
The morning sun, full on their face,
shows the height and the depth of the range.
White peaks, green-gray where there isn’t snow,
they fold away, getting grayer with distance.

Below them, Lake Champlain is cold in her valley.

The location is exquisite.
Suspended between beautiful places
Different ways might be chosen,
Different choices may beckon me.
But for now I’ve chosen to go home .