staving off the junkyard blues

staving off the junkyard blues

traffic jam in my mind

broken down old thoughts

sputtering to stop lights,

the signals stuck on red,

idling roughly, my engine with a broken block

the oil of reckless abandon, dried up

the pistons once overly exuberant

now clogged with decayed liquid,

maybe too many drops of impertinence

maybe too many drops of in-congruence 

maybe too many drops of missed opportunity thence

but now just trying to keep a belabored car on the road of life

steering through the jeering of the past

looking for that end green

where i can coast down the hill

not worrying that my brake shoes are so worn

from too much walking through love

with an untied accelerator.

erin-cilberto

12/26/15

Reviews

[iand63]

Some would say 'get a new car buddy' but intimacy is not a thing that can be bought anew. This is what I feel when reading this piece, a sense of intimacy and acceptance (not resignation). This feels complete and gives insight to our inner world of self acceptance. Great work once again Jacob

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, iand63,
j.

[icelandicblue]

Our brake shoes are worn but we are still coating along because you just never know what the next rest stop might hold.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Anne...

j.

[Terpsichore]

No point putting diesel in a petrol car, the two just don't go together, all you'll end up with is a tow to the nearest breakers yard.

T :))

[jacob erin-cilberto]

love your metaphoric reply...thank you T.

j.

[A hare off]

Sounds like someone's in need of a tune up and some new floor mats. As long as the A/C and the stereo work, it's salvagable. Great analogy here Jacob.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review..A hare...

j.

[Jimmy Yetts]

Don't know much about cars; no one would insure me--I killed two dogs with my Radio Flyer.
To me, "the junkyard blues" is being cornered by an enraged and unleashed junkyard dog. (Especially, sans Radio Flyer.)
Here, you've committed "auto-metaphorism"--which sounds like an act punishable in some states.
Brilliant work, Jacob!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Jimmy, :)))

[redzone]

mine was a head on crack-up between a black, red trimmed, 57 Chevy (327, 4 on the floor), and a sleek, yellow, 65 Mustang... both totaled and I stayed at that junk yard until the compacter did it's square car thing... we did cause a "traffic jam" that's for sure, backed up for miles in either direction...

Thanks for the metaphors and car problems and your heart is fine, just needs a tune up, oil change and some STP and you're good to go... just beware of possible black smoke and a back fire coming out the exhaust...

as for music, I like Springsteens, "strap your hands around my engine" as a cure for the "junkyard blues"
or Prince's "Little Red Corvette"... ;0) anyway Jacob, I enjoyed reading your "untied accelerator" poem..

redzone

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for the trip back, Curt...i remember when those 57 chevys came out...joey chitwood used white ones for his thrill show when we saw him up in Vermont...was cool...all the old cars were, they had personality...
j.

[redzone]

In the town I grew up in (Reading, Pa) we had a Fair grounds with a race track (mostly stock cars) and Joey Chitwood would be the "thrill show" that preceded the races... I got to see him several times and even got his autograph for my grilfriend at the time who was big on car races... before I got the 57 Chevy, my friend from HS would drive us around in his 64 Pontiac GTO... seems like cars were a big part of a young boys growing up, not to mention those back seat adventures... lol.. and to think $6 got you a movie, enough gas and a burger.. is this what they mean by Heaven Jacob???

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Just like cars, our relationships need some TLC and maintenance, otherwise they break down and wind up being sold for parts.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i have a lot of old parts that are on other cars now...thank you, Dale...appreciate your insightful words...
j.

[The Rock And Roll Cowboy(REBEL WITH A CAUSE)]

I have enough old parts to start a production line of classics... you are welcome.

[B. Boileau]

I imagine you writing this at a stop light in a worn duce coup in need of a tune up before your next drag race (the winner gets the girl). I think the law about texting and driving left out penning brilliant poetry. Life is full of little anomalies that way... HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR my friend !
bill

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, and that scenario reminds me of the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean..."going to Drag City, run her through now, burn up that quarter mile, listen to them whine whine whine."

thank you, Bill...

happy new year to you too.

[Elwyn]

I'm a sucker for extended metaphors, well done and well executed. "Maybe too man drops... Maybe too many drops..." But what good is it too dwell on the maybes and the what-ifs?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Elwyn...

j.

[W.k.kortas]

That's a problem in those late-model hearts--the damn throttle linkage gets stuck awfully easily. I would say that this a wonderfully '75 Nova piece of poetry, and I would mean that wholly complimentarily.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

those old Novas were cool....so i am flattered by your words, thank you, W.k.

j.