On the Road

by Eric Gonzalez-Jimenez

The car is traveling past

Acres and acres of green

Fields and fields of fruit trees or bushes

Speed past me, while fig leaves dance in the air

I am picking out one last

Piece of bubblegum, which I am all too keen

To blow and pop, and hope it doesn't get on the cushions.

Father has brought a little bento box, which I pore

Over, and start taking apart

Taking all the shrimp

And leaving behind all the rice.

Father admonishes me

Telling me I should not leave part

Of my meal behind, not to skrimp

On this food, but I do not listen to his advice.

Instead I watch the sky darken, into a starry sea

Some beautiful heavenly expanse

I have never seen the stars

Like this, never had starlight

Stream across me, glowing lunar strands dance

All around me, as the cars

Speed down the road, caught in flight.

Father smiles, and tells me

That here, with no pesky city light

I can finally see the sky

As it was meant to be.

As the star's might

Pulses above me, as we fly

Down the pavement to our destination.

So I look up to the sky

And see the lights all above me

And reach out to them,

They are calling me I can feel it, telling me to fly

Away to them, to be

With them, as my heart thrums.

What is there beyond them, I wonder?

If I could fly up to the sky

Past the clouds and planets

What would be there?

What would I find?

The same lights that I can see now?

Or something else?

The lights above pulse

And my father watches me and smiles

And tells me

"Won't be long now."

And I close my eyes

As the stars shine above

As the car speeds down the highway

And we sail, away, away

On a sea of light.