what were we thinking

they want to get away
from it all after they retire,

after the work is done,
the kids are grown

and out of the way.

they want peace and quiet.
they want to
hear

crickets chirping, bullfrogs
on the pond.

they want to hear their hearts
again

beating for one another,
away for the traffic,

the hectic life, the smog

they want to look up into
the sky at night and see stars.

Nerbraska seems like a pleasant
place,

but then they get there
and they look out the window

day after day,

at nothing but corn fields.
soy fields.

flat roads and hay.
a lifeless scarecrow in the distance.

they look at one another

and say, what we're we
thinking.