the long road

we slow
down to see the cows
in the pasture.
brown and white,
slow to move, to look
up.
mouths chewing sideways
to a slow clock.
unencumbered
in the early sun.
the fence rails go on forever
on this road
that leads
to the blue ridge mountains,
the bent posts and wire
keeping them in,
keeping us
out.
so many fences in our
lives.