WELCOME TO ILLINOIS,

THE LAND OF LINCOLN!

Your eyes skim the horizon:

flat, infinite,

and moving much slower than the golden hyphens

that sprint beneath the worn tires of your car.

WELCOME TO INDIANA,

THE CROSSROADS OF AMERICA!

The smell of fast food drips between

the thinning leather cushions of the car seats,

oozing like old milk,

but you stopped noticing it a hundred miles ago.

WELCOME TO OHIO,

THE HEART OF IT ALL!

You squint at the unrelenting sun,

wondering why it is so close,

so unashamedly white,

and you wish you had remembered sunglasses.

WELCOME TO PENNSYLVANIA,

THE STATE OF INDEPENDENCE!

The air conditioning makes little bumps appear

on your uncovered legs,

so you pull them up under you, Indian style,

and dream about the beach you'll never visit.

WELCOME TO NEW YORK,

THE EMPIRE STATE!

You ignore the needles tickling your left foot,

and you lean your head against the window,

shifting and bumping,

and waiting to get somewhere, anywhere.