True Story

A poem about carrying grief into the wilderness.

Reesor Ranch, Cypress Hills Country, 2023.

True Story 
Ash Kilback

Two women, who are complete strangers, 
drive for hours out into the country to see 
what happens to their grief when it’s released
into the wilderness. 

They meet during a horseback riding lesson, 
then later, stand next to each other in the buffet
line. One tells the other about the recent death
of her husband while dressing a baked potato.

The next day, they meet for a walk and find
a hill covered with magenta flowers, trumpeting
with joy. They go past where the path ends, get 
lost for a while. 

They return with red scratch marks from branches
on their bare legs, discover the ancient bones of survival
are still sharp, before going home and disappearing into
the familiarity of their lives.