With the tender cajoles of the road on my soles,
I exult as we plunge down the street.
Horsepower’s a bore – I like manpower more –
Thus I guide you by means of my feet.

Your speed’s not your own, for you’re just wood and stone,
And you’ve nary an engine or rotor;
Only strong human heels can empower your wheels.
Only I can provide you a motor.

Yet to give you your due, I have need of you too,
In your greenwood-cut, granite-hewn glory;
For the town is of shale, and to dinosaur scale,
So how else could I get to the quarry?

Thus we plummet with speed born of mutual need;
Ever harder and faster I thrust.
Car and driver are thrown unto heights never known
In our primitive passionate lust.

All too soon we will find that our journey’s behind.
I will leave you – alas for our fate!
Though our whole’s split in twain, still I know you’ll remain
As I toil for the cruel Mr. Slate.

At the moment we part, there’s a rock in my heart,
And I know that you’re under distress...
But our fervors yet burn, and anon I’ll return,
And you’ll see that I need you no less.

And with cries of amen, we will merge once again –
We shall seek – we shall find what we sought –
As through Bedrock we fly, we shall toughen the tie
Of the man, and the man that is not.

I know it sounds mythic that some Neolithic
Like me could emote with such heat.
I admit it’s bizarre, for you’re only a car –
Yet without you, I am not complete.

In the depths of some pit it was made with despair
For '73 the year, how long it would fare?
Machines punch holes, bent steel with ease
Forming it's lines like some strange disease.

Early at dawn, it woke with a grumble.
It coughed and did sputter, all spoke was a mumble.
The beast growled to life, a mind of its own.
It's eyes did glow and wheels would groan.

In '92 I found it, not wanted I gleaned.
A treasure un-earthed? or a hellish pit fiend?
I turned over the key; it roared back to life.
Ready for leaving, you could feel the strife.

The truth understood, why owner left soon,
A split personality in this one would boon.
For guys it was grand, it smoked and it flamed,
but gals ran screaming for fear being maimed.

Lonely were nights when we would go crusin',
Even friends would shudder, wonder what we were using.
In parking lots alone, good times we still had,
on ice we would spin, slide, and be bad.

A lot has gone on in those days long past,
Made fun of, called ugly, he gave up at last.
Though engine still ran, its legs gave out.
Sputtering, old, he left me no doubt.

A year ago, he told me his last goodbye.
Many years of fun, I asked him but why?
Old he'd become and dim was his vision.
End of his misery was a worn-out transmission.

So close to "classic", yet so far to go.
Too many dents, and too little dough.
AMC was his parents and X his style.
Gremlin his name, at the memory a smile.

-------------------
1973 AMC Gremlin X
258ci Straight 6
Midnight Blue

Ode to my Fiesta

Oh, my dear friend
I did not appreciate you when
I had you.
Now you are gone...somewhere
In a junkyard.
We all complained about
How ugly you were.
The kids were embarrassed
To ride in you; and, we
called you a piece of crap.

When we got in a wreck and
you were injured, we stuck
a 2x4 on your back end. And drove
it in with nails! Ouch, the pain… the
agony you suffered at our hands! My heart
hurts to think of it. How selfish of me… telling
YOU how I hurt now when you went through
so much for us. A lot of good that does you
now. I’m sorry.

You had many injuries, dents and flaws…
sucky brakes, bad headlights, no seatbelts…
yet did we think about your pain,
did we take you to the car Dr.?...get
you pain pills? NO, we did not.
Instead, we took you for granted.

We failed to realize back then
how unfailing loyal you were to us.
You took us to countless little league,
basketball and football games. You carried me,
the dog, our three children plus coolers,
lawn chairs and sports equipment.
Many times, we crammed up to 6 kids
inside you and never gave a thought to how
that must have hurt your back!
And you had such a petite little frame…
bless your little heart.

When you died, we didn’t even
give you a decent burial. We should
have made a shrine out of you in the
yard.

If you can hear me up in car heaven, please
forgive us. We now realize you were family.
We have grieved for you.

We have tried to find you in the junkyard…
to no avail… ahh the pain!

So, this is my ode to you, dear friend and
family member. May you rest in peace.
I find comfort in the fact your labors are
over.

I love you.

There’s a saying I know is true...
It’s not what’s on the outside ...
it's the inside that true blue.
That’s what I tell people about you,
you’re beautiful inside and outside too.

They say you are the ugliest
car ever made and you sucked.
But I knew better...I knew that you rocked.
I had not a care what they thought.
for when I saw you in the showroom,
I fell in love on the spot.

Oh, Aztek, you are so dear to me!
You are my best friend, you see.

Your seats are soft and keep me comfy,
your ride is smooth and never lumpy.
Your sound system is sweet...music to my ears,
giving me peace in a life full of tears.

You run like a dream while keeping me safe.
I have narry a worry while riding in glee...
oh how you make me feel so free!

I dream about you night and day…
can’t wait to drive you every day.

If you left me, I would just die
I’d be lost and afraid...it would be my end.
I’d never drive again without my best friend.

No one understands our bond...but that's okay.
As long as we have each other...we'll find our way.

I love when we go out for a drive...
enjoying each other and letting our
friendship grow and thrive.

Oh how I hate getting out of the car.
Because you’ll be lonely, I promise
never to go far.
Do not despair, I’ll never desert you
because my heart will always be true.

Thank you for taking me wherever I need go
Lord knows my children always say no.
Not you, my friend, always loyal and true...
if ever you need me, I’ll be there for you.

No one dare ever take you away
for they know I will never ever sway
You are mine forever…that is my vow
and what can I say but a big ole WOW!

Now this is my ode to my dear, precious friend
and if you don’t like it, you can kiss my rear end.

I love thee my dear golf cart;
you always make my day.
I cannot drive you through a course,
but always that's okay.
I tried to drive in school today,
and knocked down many cones.
You know that people laughed at me;
but, hey, I broke no bones.
Your turning system is all wrong,
though others don't say so.
I still wish to drive you around;
crash through them as I go.

Four by Four,
go off the road.
Went to a truck show,
But only showed.

Sitting in the bed on a hot summer night
Sippin’ on wine and looking at stars
What a wonderful site.

Friday night drive-ins are romantic
Sharing popcorn with my girl.
I hate the times my grandma makes
Me take my cousin Earl.

The backseat is really comfy,
Lot’s of room for me and Beth.
I guess that the reason why
Now we have baby Seth.

I wouldn’t ever get anything
Other than a good ol’ Ford.
I’ve had several others,
But they all made me bored.

This was a poem about my truck
She’s lovely as she can be.
As I ride off into the sunset
Listen close, you’ll hear “AAIEE!!”