Straight past the busy street

With cars as fast as a shooting star

Blurring past you in the night

To the quiet neighborhood

With houses lined up side by side

Sleeping next to one another

For warmth, comfort, strength in numbers.

The dull glow of the street light

Takes place above the neighborhood

As if it were a glowing planet

Keeping watch, keeping us safe.

Turn right down the winding road

That slithers like a snake

Passing more sleeping houses

With the occasional dim television night light.

One more right will lead you to

Transplanted palm trees reaching out to the heavens

With birds resting in the palm frond fingers

And cats prowling the trodden earth

With hungry eyes- disturbed by the

Put-put-puttering of an old

Busted white Chevy blundering down the street.

Pass the park that preserves youth

And you’ll find yourself at a crossroads

Ahead of you (and even behind you)

Lies a quiet neighborhood slumbering

Looming in the unknown darkness.

Look to the left, now to the right

And see the street stretching before your eyes

Overpowering lights reflect from your eyes to my own

As you stare at me with wonder

At the beauty of this place where we live.

You take my hand and together we are

Launched into space on a trip to the unknown.