songs of freedom

where we're going, where we've been

we thought we'd never get out of California, no matter how many miles we put on the car, we were still in this sprawling land of promises. but we did finally pop out into Arizona somewhere on the other side of the mojave desert. we welcomed the sight of ocotillo and chaparral, the small fish hook cacti poking out ominously in between the shrubs. we braved the blizzard in flagstaff, took photo booth pictures, and collected the sticky winter buds of poplars in Beaver Creek. We stopped over in Albuquerque to eat bad food and watch the Oscars (the company was better than either). We messed with Texas and I sang Roger's and Hammerstein's musical all the way through "O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A, Oklahoma OK!" let me tell you "the wind comes right behind the rain" is a true statement here. we "slept" in a wal-mart parking lot and though we would blow away with the tumble weeds, i expected the car top to be gone in the morning, the whole van was a rockin'. Onto Arkansas, where the wind was slightly less hard core and I promptly began the next musical, songs from Big River: "Arkansas, Arkansas, i just love old Arkansas, i love my ma, i love my pa, but i just love old Arkansas" ... and "look out for me old muddy water, your mysteries are deep and wide," we scanned the mighty Mississippi but there were no signs of huck, jim or the nonesuch. We camped in the ozarks and knew we'd made it east at last: wild yam vines clasped smilax canes in the oak chuff. we hiked along the Piney river through the deciduous forest looking for fossils, surrounded by ferns.

Now we're on to little rock which makes me sing "i've got just one small problem in Little Rock (pause) without you, baby I'm not me...." I don't even know who sings that song, but i wish i would hear it on the radio.

NOTE: sararouse just informed me that the title and author i am looking for is Little Rock by Raye Collins