Day 22: A kind of sad poem about a car. Yes, I can make a car poem sad. Behold my powers!

[megwrites]

Day 22: What is the first car you bought/drove/remember? Write a poem about it.



I thanked you twice, you orange, boxy thing
You were the color of the 80's
Twenty-years out of fashion if you were ever in
You had a tricky spark plug
You turned less sleekly than most 18-wheelers

I thanked you when I got you, (I thanked everyone that Christmas)
For what opportunities you opened for me
A job, independence, friends

You took me everywhere and I was so cavalier
I was so fucking expert I could drive you
one handed, other on the radio dial
I could drive you so fast the gravel spun up
under your tires
I went everywhere around town with you
And sometimes even talked shit about you
because others had better things
One girl in class got a new car. A brand new car.
From that year.
(I hated her because she complained about the color,
thankless brat).

But then on a Sunday morning
I thanked you when I woke up
Amongst the shattered, scattered glass
With the jaws of life prying your frame apart
the steering wheel touched the ceiling
I laid slumped to the side
and a big fireman's face said, "Don't move, stay calm"
I thanked you then
Because after a 70 mile an hour crash
from a car bigger and bluer than you
you were totaled but I was not