after midnight in a town we’ve never been
we have miles floating off our backs
and miles reaching out with
their long ghostly fingernails
to pull us back to somewhere we know
there’s a thousand tapping fingers
on steering wheels owned
by hands we will never hold
but i can’t but wonder what brought them here
why they’re driving down the same streets as us
who were they with before they left so late
how were they feeling when the door closed
and how are they feeling now
that their brakes go on and off
like a warning signal or a stone message
what sorts of waves are pulling up
on the small bumps of their forearms
how much longer until we get home
and are we witnessing a final stretch
or a final attempt at escape
there’s no way of ever knowing
so the window remains slightly cracked
and i’m breathing in love
like being shown something so wonderful
like i somehow swallowed hope and fear
and can now only wait