Cycling Seven Continents

900 miles of straight across the tundra
a rough gravel road, the tedium only punctured
by crowds of small children at remote villages
selling bottles filled with water from questionable sources
their smiles light the sky
yet in the Andes, amidst towering peaks, brilliant
shawls and skirts contrast with grey and brown rock,
their smiles light the sky.
in America, the farmer from Oklahoma, tall in his cowboy
hat and boots, examining these lycra-clad men on
bikes with skepticism and amazement.
even the squeaking frog on their front handle bars
did not elicit a smile.
The white smiles of the African people were the
warmest of all, their smiles light the sky.