I tried, I swear I tried
To stop loving the Blue Mountains you swept me away to
To stop seeing them through your grey-green eyes
I prayed endlessly
Extend your hand once more to me down those towered hiking trails
Let me see heaven in your saunter again
I allowed foreign kisses
Fill this Orion-shaped wound, I vowed — still I stand, hollow
Waiting for your fix, for our paths to merge as you promised
One warm tear after another
Fell shocking me after I’d whispered my name aloud in some man’s voice I no longer know
Tears as heavy diamonds, flawless and innocent, from my right first then my left
Each with the viscosity needed to let love flow through this muscle-car I call my heart
This, coldest of winter’s night
Additionally, I admit I awaited it
The other shoe to drop
It was me, my fault
Believing too big always
The ’72 Nova Super Sport
Traded before I became of age
The certainty I saw in unions
Disproved before my very eyes
Muscle cars and you and me
Crashed before together began
You, Pontiac boy
Ever-beaconing muscle-car radio
Oldies songs all the way
Turned up
I, Chevy girl
Ever-grasping the volume knob
Ripped it off, tossed it out
My window
Pictured us
Forever grooving, reminiscing
Life-long love song
We’d drive
We need
A something
Four wheels
Bench seats
Stick shift
One, true, motor
Silent roads
No compass
Only stars
Not indulgence
Just survival
In case you’re not mine
Or time steals you from me
I’ll say now what I know I’d say then
My god you are hot
With your grey and red lines
And the virtues still black on your skin
That muscle back there
Makes me wild like back then
Still a classic -your drawl and your pen
Oh the years and the day trips
Fast curves and near misses
And the danger again and again
I hope that you’ll find
That I made the right choice
That no restoration was needed
We ride fine me ‘n you and our rockin’ pit crew
Be damned rules of the road never heeded