I yearn for new spaces 

And spicy new places, 

With new sights in store 

I've not seen before .

I wish, with wild zeal, 

I could go where I feel 

Curiosity's draw,

To experience awe. 

I pray that I keep 

The raw impulse to leap 

Into unprecedented 

With my gaze unrelented; 

My senses alive, 

My young soul to thrive 

On richness exquisite 

In each place I visit; 

That my smile grows wide 

With each city, each tide; 

That instead of slowing, 

My ardor keeps growing 

Til I've crossed enough bridges 

And mountains and ridges 

That my wanderlust's sated 

And I feel graduated-- 

With new insights to ponder 

Til I once again wander.

© 2024 Teresa Miles Kephart