Day Six: Penticton to Chillawack

I Hate You Manning Provincial Park

Every other kilometer
there were signs
warning of bear or elk
crossings—as a kid
and adult I hate these signs:
they raise an expectation
so that every rounded rock
looks like a grizzly with cubs
a fallen snag looks like a big bull.

I grew up watching
nature documentaries,
learning obscure facts about
badgers, bison, and black bears.
The possibility of seeing
wildlife gets me
excited.

Seeing nothing
but trees and scrub
wouldn’t be frustrating—
except those damn signs
kept pointing out
that at any point
I could see
something awesome

that normally belongs
on a truck-stop t-shirt.

No one likes
to be reminded
of what they’re missing.