To caress your skin again

Is what I secretly long for

To wrap my arms around your waste

And hold you like before.

I ruined what we had

This I know for sure

I have to be content as your friend

Even though we used to be more.

Raindrops beating their melody on the windshield

The repeated rhythm lulling me to sleep

Head nodding as my grip on the wheel loosens.

A sky-illuminating flash snaps me back to focus

Cutting through the darkness, hundreds of red pin pricks shine

I realize as I roll along that each red bead is another life

What thoughts go through their head as they drive along

Where are they going, what are they dreaming?

Are they aware that the world outside their car is alive?

That they person they just passed has dreams, thoughts, and goals too

I never thought about it on any other drive

That these lights that stretch for miles ahead and miles behind

Are following their own paths

And I play but a small part

Just another car passed

Another face the glimpse for a brief moment

As they head to their destiny

I don't think

I'm ready for it to be over

25 years old

And still not ready for the real world.

All these years 

And I still don't feel prepared

I don't think it's possible

To learn everything you need in school.

I feel all of this crushing weight

All these expectations

Everyone looking at me thinking,

"All these years of school

What do you have to show for it?"

Indebted for life

And the last thing I want

Is to go home.

I once heard it described as

"The place where people's dreams die"

I'm worried that all of this has been for nothing

All this time

All this money

And I'm still going to end up in a factory

Mold open, mold close

Remove the part and stack it.

My future as an automaton

Repeating the same task

Day after day

Until I break down

My creaking bones

Are squeaking joints

My end of arm tools

Swollen with arthritis

Deep in my memory flashes

"Follow your dreams."