Pens

Whenever you travel, from shoe tying to grocery,
or from familiar haunts to foreign country,
make sure you bring two pens,
and stow them surely in pocket safe.

One for lending and one for you,
to write the thoughts that come and go,
of street and plain, vista and hue.

Of memories and philosophies, old and new,
that turn and tumble through your mind,
but pause to sit and palaver, first one, then two.

And without pen to scrawl them here or there
(for pens can write most anywhere)
They will vanish, quick as fading shades,
To be overrun by next one's tirades.

At least two pens you must choose,
one for lending and one for you.