Chasing the American Dream

I was chasing the American Dream
Wide-eyed girl, tough as nails
My brother and I found a computer near the dumpster
We fixed it and figured out DOS
I wrote my first college application on it
When I got my scholarship my Mom was so proud
I left on a plane
I had no fear then
I was chasing the American Dream
New country, new language, new life
Going back was always just an illusion
I was chasing the American Dream
Now the AI can write essays and poems on its own
Siri can tell me the weather and how to get home
but does not answer when I ask if I am going to be okay
We need each other more than ever
Seeking all the possibilities
I am still chasing the American Dream

Laura Zucca-Scott, Ph.D. is a Professor at Minot State University and an award-winning creative writer. Her works have been published, in English and Italian, in several anthologies including the “Beatitude, 50th Anniversary” Anthology. Laura is also a recurring contributor to the North Dakota Quarterly.