Travel essentials
A rucksack isn’t a kitchen dresser, or a view, or
a whirl of Christmas Market cinnamon, sweet almonds,
or the comfort of the bells of Beata Maria leading safe
home through the restless stammer of a lonely night;
a rucksack doesn’t appear to have a waterproof
pocket to keep the last crumb of almond cake
from mouldering, or a cool flap to preserve your smile
but they are enveloped soft in your farewell wave,
sealed in your last blown kiss.
Rebecca Bilkau cofounded and coordinates Beautiful Dragons Collaborations, anthologies with contributions from 130+ poets worldwide. Her collections are Instructions for a Quiet Life and Weather Notes; her pamphlets are Sending for New Omens, Sunday’s Child and Walking the Dog in Wolfenbüttel. When she’s not out with the Airedale Terrier, contact her via Rebecca Jane Bilkau on FaceBook or via beautifuldragons.net.