snow-packed

car tires crunch and whirr at 65 mph
too fast to think as the dog circles in her
prescribed circle to fall asleep,finally her
head settling onto the armrest after
gazing at me dolefully.
what am I doing in her seat,
up front the conversation circles
from faculty applications to temperature sensors
my mind is on humidity sensors and whether
the house is burning down.
the night is snow packed, the roads icy
and slick, we drive through the night
in this metal canister, three of us and,
of course,
the dog.