Dreams Of Montana
two young lovers
traveling the west for months
romance and adventure
on the open road
and we found Montana
I want to live here with you she said
I feel the same I said
so we went home
got married
sold everything
celebrated the hopes and dreams
of our new journey together
giddy with excitement
made plans
tied up lose ends
friends were jealous
I could feel the freedom
until out of the blue
my mother doesn’t think we should go she said
of course not I said
knowing I wasn’t a favorite
which was all the more reason
she thinks we should stay closer to home she said
that’s nice I said
but you hate her remember
let’s go
she’s just concerned
that we don’t have jobs
or a place to live
concerned all of a sudden
you said she never cared about you
or protected you
she doesn’t want us to make a big mistake
we’re young
we won’t know until we try
but maybe mom has a point
get jobs here
save money
go later
we’d never go I said
now is our time
something was happening
I didn’t understand
it was a total one eighty
from every word
thought
emotion
she had ever uttered
from the first moment we met
and it didn’t feel like a joke
it’s you and me now I said
we’re adults
we have to make our own decisions
it’s our life to live
my parents think Montana is too far away
you and I decided together
equal partners
you said it would be a dream come true
to get away from your family
you said you felt true happiness
being with me
and in Montana
I think we should wait she said
I was stunned
it’s all we had talked about
focused on
we told everyone
had a going away party
we were ready to go
I don’t want to go she said finally
choices swirled in confusion
as thoughts of freedom faded
along with any notion
of two young lovers
writing their own story
together
in the dreams of Montana
—DL Madsen