Free man

My cheeks are rosy, my body is warm, two glasses of wine always seem to find something hiding deep inside waiting to be written. I'm looking down at golden brown hands typing, I already have a nice base tan, by mid summer I will be a deep bronze. I haven't worn " real " shoes in over a month, and pants are a small winter dream. Palm trees aren't so unusual, and local burger joints aren't so hard to find anymore. My heart is planted. A small part of me hides a handful of sadness for my friends and family back home, more for my family. My friends , I love you all more than you know, and I know you all know how to read a map and will be here sooner or later to visit me. My family on the other hand, I wish I could wrap them all up, keep them in my pocket, safe, familiar, home, keep it closer than skin. I miss my mom the most, mamma's girl, hell yeah, damn proud of it. The youngest of three growing up on hand me downs and government help, I stuck to my mother like white on rice. She was life, she was safety, she was stability, what little we had in those days. I know I've said it before, but the world was so big and we we're so close that I never remember being poor. I remember being free, I knew every one by name, at least three blocks away, and everybody knew me. There was comfort in that. I can't say that I know my neighbors name now... " I ain't saying it's the only way, but wouldn't you like to know how it feels to live like a free man, to give, when there is nothing in your hand, and to run, by god , like only the river can.....Like a free man...." Those words, that song, I remember, a night by my lonesome, at an Angie concert, a girl from Michigan bootlegged homeade blackberry wine in, and we got trashed and sang at the top of our lungs how we wanted to live like a free man.... I don't remember her name, but I remember the night, and the spirit, and how much I wanted to, and still want to be free like a river, I close my eyes, and I'm lying on my back floating down the ocoee, or the tennessee, water in my ears, freedom, release, a free man. I suppose somewhere in the middle of this whole thing I lost track a bit , I don't even know where I meant to go with it really, but , my heart feels better, and I will sleep tonight with a warm glow of spring sun on my face, and the words of a song running through my head...." Wouldn't you like to know, how it feels to live like a free man....." If memories were nickles, i'd be a millionaire...hehehe