My friend wants to go to Paradise Valley
She heard about it from a friend of hers,
who thought it beautiful and well worth seeing
Its sounds to her like a good place to escape to
Someplace different than where she is
It probably is beautiful, if you like the stark beauty of the high sagebrush deserts
But I suspect in reality it is just as cold - and as hot - and just as subject to the persistent, numbing winds as is the place she wants to escape from
Still, it is out there, someplace she's never been
And she needs a Paradise Valley in her life.
***
As I grow older - and I'm considerably older than she is
I think a lot about Paradise Valley
Not the specific Paradise Valley she heard about
But someplace out there
Some place to escape to
Some place I haven't been
I feel I need to go there pretty badly while there still is time
Maybe it won't be beautiful
Maybe it will be just as cold, or just as hot, and just as subject to the persistent, numbing metaphorical winds as is my place in life right now
Still, I'd like to find out
I really need a Paradise Valley in my life.
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