I’ve listened to Moon River about nine times in the past two weeks; the version I have is lush, a sweetly sung lullaby, backed by guitar and strings; it is oh-so-nostalgic and nearly melancholy. I’ve loved that song since I was a kid, simply because I wanted huckleberry friends – and of course had no idea what they were. I know now that the lyricist merely meant a boyhood friend with whom he picked huckleberries, and with whom he knew he’d be friends forever – a lovely idea.
I went off to see the world with my huckleberry friend, and now that time is almost up. I am realizing we’ve lived in one city almost longer than we’ve lived anywhere in one American city – and that’s just weird. This past four years and seven months have been a huge chunk of my life, and the question repeating in my head is Where to now? Other people keep asking, and we still don’t know what to say, and time, tick-tick-ticks… Still, no answers.
This small offering grew from internal controversy, a lot of the Help Wanted ads Tech Boy has been fielding, and from a friend’s wish that we be transplanted somewhere else we can grow.
Rooted
Thread-white Taproot Seeks
Deeper foundational loam –
Transplanted again.
I really like this poem. I get a little thrill when I think of taproots.
I’ve only ever heard “Moon River” once, when I saw Breakfast at Tiffany’s once. I am going to go listen to it now.
Maxwell, Lucas, and I have that version of “Moon River” in our morning playlist for our car ride to school, so we listen to it at least once a day. I think it’s a good sendoff for them.
I did not know that fun fact about “huckleberry friend” (yet loved the phrase anyway). That gives a whole new meaning to the song to me now.
Oh, Tanita, this is so lovely. I agree with the others — home and roots are the people I love. The surroundings? Almost incidental.
Wishing you nourishment from the roots up.
Oh, my, how I love the phrase Taproot Seekers. Thirsty. Growing. Seeking but Grounded. All that.
Sigh. This is so lovely — ditto to what Yat Yee said. Roots holding to people more than places. Can’t wait to see where you two end up, knowing you’ll be able to make a home anywhere as long as you’re together.
I love “Moon River” too, and like you, always wanted a huckleberry friend :).
Lovely, and poignant.
As a multi-times transplanted person, I relate. I’ve discovered that my roots are holding to my people, not any place. Even so, I hope you find your deeper foundational loam somewhere lovely and perfect for you two.