Chicagoland at night from above

by John Ziegler

There’s nothing quite like
civilization at night. All
those rays and bulbs, like
a giant with an electric Etch-a-Sketch.
The cities of the Plains are some
of the best. They take as their
model the surrounding farm
fields, unmarked in the dark.
Endless, disciplined lines
Of alfalfa, wheat, and corn-
My God, the corn!
Make of them Miracle Miles
and well-lit highway strips,
so we know
where to go.

John Ziegler graduated from Prescott College in 2008. He studied writing, literature, and natural history. He was born and raised in Louisiana and he now lives in New York.

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