Dark Illinois highway (written last September)

Corn and forest shadows stretch on for miles
In the back seat, child is planning his life’s work
Books he must write, movies he’ll produce. Thousands!
Dad drives, listens, offers encouraging syllables
every few minutes
Little brother hides in his gameboy
thankful to be ignored
I look out at a starless night, endless white lines
and a few lonely lights on the horizon
quiet, lost in a world of what could be