Mark said that his poem was inspired by a trip to Yellowstone NationaL Park

Healing the Continental Divide
It is a serpentine line that runs rough and jagged through our land,
Following jutting mountains and gushing streams.
The separation of a nation, a barrier beyond our reach.
Seeking a place to teach us who we are or might be, thirteen traveled from far.
They came from the South,
They came from the West,
Some from the Windy City,
Others closer, from the heartland,
Reflecting east and west, a troubled country seeking hope and reconciliation.
We found ourselves with this in common, love of creation and nature.
Our guide took us deep into the forest,
Towards the wild,
To a place of quiet, opening our hearts to
the spirits of the trees, the raven's call, the wind speaking to our souls.
Beyond politics and religion, we found our common chord.
Binding us together,
In our humanity,
In our vulnerability,
Seeking our place with nature and the common heartbeat of man.
Finding a proper balance with the raw forces surrounding us.
Thirteen people on an adventure, thirteen strangers transformed by a mystical force.
Now friends, even if only for a few days.
Our guide showed us a trail of serenity, understanding, and hope.
False barriers fell away. The divide narrowed. A country healed.

~ Mark Heckey