Over the past few years, I’ve participated in 30 day found poetry challenges during National Poetry Month. This is the first year I’m participating in a non-found challenge. We’ll see how this goes. Anything posted here should be considered a first draft (at best). Take it all with a grain of salt.
This month, I’ll be playing with prompts from Two Sylvias Press. The first prompt talked about a mistake, what one learned from it, and being playful. So here goes:
The Boss’ Jag
The boss’ Jag is grey and sleek,
and parked beneath the ground,
aged nineteen me now has a task:
“Take it out and have it cleaned.”
The boss’ Jag is grey and sleek,
the mom’s car parked behind,
“I’ll go with and move it back,” she offers.
I concede.
The boss’ Jag is grey and sleek,
mom’s Honda’s pulled away,
I barely breathe, but turn the key
and feel the rumble low.
The boss’ Jag is grey and sleek,
and now it’s in reverse,
I peeeeel my foot from off the brake
and creep the car back slow.
The boss’ Jag is grey and sleek,
and glaciers have moved faster,
the mirrors checked,
and checked again,
but I’ll look one more time.
The boss’ Jag is grey and sleek,
but now it’s ceased its motion.
My palms’ sweat wiped on pleated pants,
my heart rate starts its climb.
The boss’ Jag is grey and sleek,
and rooted to its place.
Time waltzes by in painful drabs.
I check –
the Jag’s still running.
The boss’ Jag is grey and sleek,
and though it’s at a stop,
my foot weighs down upon the gas,
the engine steady gunning.
The boss’ Jag is grey and sleek,
and suddenly scoots backwards,
jump on the brake,
and glance around,
the problem now is clocking.
The boss’ Jag is grey and sleek,
but the Jeep next to it’s red,
and though there’s no one in the seat,
the Jeep has started rocking.
The boss’ Jag is grey and sleek,
save 18 inches scratched,
about the height of that Jeep’s bumper,
straight across the back.
The boss’ Jag is grey and sleek,
and also has a scratch,
from the boy who saw just one way out
from in the driver’s seat.
The boss’ Jag is grey and sleek,
but also comes with doors,
and answers are sometimes better seen
from outside, on the street.