Emily Toder

My Spirited Car


I have driven three of the same car
I love

I have replaced its parts so slowly
it has not stayed the same car

I have falsely asserted a consistent
spirit to my car, which I nourish

I have totaled a car I have tried
to impress people in

I have totally
impressed them in it

Once I learned about cruise control
it became hard to stop

Once I drove 34 miles on cruise control
That’s my record

Once I became weak
for the rest of my life

I never talked my way out of a ticket
All my speeding tickets I would do again

Once I didn’t drive to him
when I totally could have

Once I got a ticket for driving
without a seatbelt because I was
driving great without a seatbelt

and I was really happy until
I was finally convicted
I fought it but I was ultimately
convicted
I was formally convicted of this
by a fair judge who didn’t know me

The charge is called: “Unrestrained driver (no seatbelt)”
and that money which I paid
to the state for wanting to drive
in this vulnerable state
has funded something and I hope it is
working out for that something
and that something good or even great has come out of
my driving in this unrestrained manner
in my highly spirited automobile
towards no one




Backward   |   Issue Eight   |   Forward