Fast cars, Pt 1

The guys
who drove
those muscle cars

in the 60s
and when the cars lasted
into the 70s
those guys
didn't believe
in air conditioning
the whole idea was
to drive
with the windows rolled
down
smoke blowing
in the faces
of the children
in the back

when it was necessary
to have air circulate
with the windows up
when there was a bear

or road killed skunk

or it was
raining
cats and dogs

there was
dash air

vented straight
from the engine
hot and greasy
without even the pretence
of freon

the only relief
to be had
was a breath
of fresh air
when the guy
behind the wheel
of the car
with the muscles stopped
for a pee
or for gas
and a flat 50
of Sweet Caps

and a package
of cheap Thrills

the gum
that tastes
like soap
but was all there was
on the highway
Fruit Stripe

and Juicy Fruit

and Chiclets

were too much bother
at a truck stop
because there was really no way
to know where to stop
in the selection
of flavours
and the real money was made
on gas
anyway

and when one
of these muscle car men
passed
from the slow lane
to overtake
a fast lane driver
not going fast enough

the kids heard
the name
but not the story
of the Great Vukovich

a.k.a. the Fresno Flash
who crashed and burned
at the 1955 Indy

later
when I overtook a car
at speeds approaching 50
in a 60 mile an hour zone
my father-in-law asked
who do you think you are
Stirling Moss
in a Maserati?

in those muscle cars
you could hear
those 8 horses pulling

you up the mountain
that seemed so near
even at 25 miles out

but faster than the cars
with the muscles
was oncoming traffic
and cooler than the heater
without teeth
was the mountain breeze
and in those days
you knew it was a good day
when you spotted an unvarnished plywood sign
announcing sans serif
cigs ahead

because at least
there would be a stop
and a chance
at some gum.