Arctic Wolf

Up before dawn, restless

my mind not at ease.

Pack up camp, some hot tea

ancient glaciers to see.

Crossing early, my truck

the Continental Divide.

Kilometers calculated

as miles are the familiar guide.

Destination, Icefields Parkway,

rugged, exposed, bare.

I find myself alone

in a nomadic affair.

Up ahead, a white wolf.

Are my eyes fooling me?

Now at my shoulder, parallel

we travel simultaneously.

Big paws migrating

perhaps for a companion.

Flowing thick fur

it’s larger than I imagined.

Unforgettable encounter

as brief as it was.

A moment to bestow

alongside this wolf, running solo.