Winter 2009 (We Knew) © Margaret Griswold-Scheiding

 

When days were still long and warm we knew another day was coming

and when the road beckoned us to escape, to ride far, far away

there was only one voice we heard, only one thing to do--

we listened...we rode and left the city far behind us

We knew, when the summer sun baked down on the highway

bringing up that smell of asphalt, old oil and gasoline;

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band sang "Roll, roll me away…”

we knew a day would come to bring frigid winter winds

Even as we rode, the green fields rollin’ by turned to gold

the hills, as red as flame, on fire with autumn;

we knew—but it just didn’t matter

the road stretched out before us and we had to follow

“Somewhere along a high road, The air began to turn cold...”

Bob’s words fell away into that last warm October day

And we knew--felt the sting of cold on our faces--

still we wanted that last ride to last forever

Days before the first snow we rode our last for the year

the road begged and our hearts ached as the garage door closed

and the wind began to wail, then to howl and the snow came

I dreamed again of summer, and softly sang, "Roll, roll me away..."

(excerpted lyrics taken from "Roll Me Away" by Bob Seger.)