I read meditations which espouse
multi-demographic/ethnic inclusivity
— life and celebrations without borders
and yet, I camp in one county,

which is, according to those who
keep such statistics not to mention
those of us who just look at the
residents, the unhealthiest county

in the state and live just one county
south which is the healthiest county
in the state and I might just as well
be camping in one universe and living

just south in another universe. I see
all the grotesquely fat, out-of-shape
people in that one county where
I camp and all the lean, in-shape

people in the other county where
I live and I have no idea how to
bring these two counties together
in grace and wonder and love

let alone in any way of addressing
the Grand Canyon cavernous gap
in health matters between two
back to back counties

let alone what eternal verities might
bring them together. I’d stand on the
border calling for glorious inclusivity
and each would say, “Say what?”

“Oh, North is North, and South is South,
and never the twain shall meet.”*

*with apologies to Rudyard Kipling for the
paraphrase.