night driving

we are a growling black beast on the highway
travelling into darkness

windows whistling
parting the mist
that rises up into us

luminous insects
shoot by . over . past.

ghost cars
shooting stars
the sickly sweet smell of sugar cane
fields on fire
an owl
a star
a star

II

i am bereft of conversation
sunk in silence
no good at keeping
a tired driver awake

we are night driving
and i am thinking of melissa
cradling a broken wallaby
as if a baby
in all gentleness and love
blood in its ears
warm without breath

we are driving to the forest