ODE TO MY TRUCK (2 versions)

ODE TO MY TRUCK

For you take me everywhere
your flanks shot through with blue
your red wheels burning
down the freeways and onramps
of my mind
For you’ve tried to attain flight
when the cops weren’t looking
For you crawled with the patience of snails
divining rush hour traffic
like Moses parting the red sea
For you’ve stopped true as an arrow
piercing the heart of the matter
when I wasn’t paying attention.

1995

(I took a few words from 2nd draft (above), but I think I like the original journal entry better.)

For you take me everywhere,
your flanks shot through with blue,
your red wheels burning
down the freeways
and on-ramps of my mind.
For you've tried to retain flight
when the cops weren't looking.
For you've crawled with the patience
of snails during rush hour traffic.
like Moses parting the red sea.
For you've stopped true
as an arrow piercing the heart
when I wasn't paying attention,
saving me from uncertain death.
Your abrupt song of tires
calligraphing the streets.

Once you became a bird
when the black ice deceived you,
tricked you into the false security
of quick stops, and firmament.
Once I betrayed you
letting someone else slip
between the wheel and pedal,
his foot, not sensitive to your needs,
and like a bird, you made a valiant attempt
to fly off the cliff but the fence was too thick,
the bank to steep, the reflexes too slow,
and that day we were wounded you,
who snorted steam and blue smoke
into the void, and learned to let go.

3/8/1995
 added 10/15