Tennesee

It was slow,
the descent usually
is, hills want you to get out,
spiraling your cars down the mountain.
Down from Cade's Cove,
which was really just a 
creek and a lot trees.
People with charcoal barbecues.
The humidity playing
in your hair.

Down the mountains
of the belly of the earth,
slopes of evergreens
and bears.
This is the center of
the universe
because it's impossible to see
out from here.

It's impossible to see out
from the creeks
criss-crossing the rental properties
and tourist traps.
It's a forest
for the trees
or a creek for the rocks
or something else 
you can't get
off the tongue,
it's stuck rolling in
an Appalachian twist
winding down
where the land eats up the people.