driving after

we have been driving since last midnight
when the sky turned bright
as if lightning struck at once all over the dome
well, okay, it took us a few minutes to huddle and cower
a few more to dress
and dare the winds that howled outside
then hurry to the car, get it started, and leave
we have been driving since then
we must be going in the wrong direction
if indeed there is a right direction left
there is no radio, only static
back and forth across the band
outside there is only darkness
no lights from house or cabin windows
no gas station lights
no gas stations I've seen
no casinos, no warehouses, no radio towers
just darkness, darkness with shadows
a saguaro, a broke-back roof without its building
walls of a building like a broken tooth
not even a dog, a burro, or a mule
my father says we must keep driving this direction
it's where the highway goes
he says in the other direction is only the ocean
as the city has gone to wherever the towns went
he says this with certainty
I never know how grownups know

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