Dollywood

A poem about my first visit to Dollywood with my wife.

We swirled bright yellow
gripping hands inside a lemon tea cup.

The backdrop was white noise around you,
a blur of autumn colors,
and you were the centerpiece—
luminous,
completely in focus.

I watched you laughing,
and I would’ve laughed, too,
if I wasn’t spinning so fast,
scrambling for the wheel,
heaving,
sweat beads
like rivers rampaging down
daredevil waterfalls,
…