Stuck in a rut with no light in sight
Discontent had worn her down
Figured a trip to a desolate place
Might pick her up off the ground

She drove from Vegas to Death Valley
On a sunny November day
Her eyes still crusted with dried tears
But forced open anyway

Her mind was full of chaos
And her heart devoid of hope
Sudden silence all around her
Sudden impulse to implode

She was alone in Badwater Basin
Much to her relief
She desired solitude, peace,
And some rationality

She tried to take in the beauty
But it was too vast to comprehend
She couldn’t see where it started
Or if it even had an end

She held up her binoculars
With her backpack on her back
She hiked ’til she could hike no more
‘Til negativity ceased attack

Feet crunched across the salt flats
Eyes focused on mountain peaks
Blue skies, wispy clouds, and
Sun rays provided warm critique

One of the hottest, driest places
Felt more comfortable than home
Outward extremes made her think beyond
The life she had outgrown

The hike didn’t change anything
But it helped her catch her breath
She’s still lost and wandering
But there’s a lot of trail still left