Twentieth Century Motion

Twentieth Century Motion
By Carl Vota

Ford pick-up, Exit 11A,
trees, trees, trees
Green, yellow, pink
Bright yellow flowers.
Signs advertising
Electric transfer station.
Concrete bridges, concrete veins.
Tension, relief,
Always wonderment.

Bad drivers, ha-ha,
Always drive me nuts!
All right, passed that one.
Wonder if he feels the same about me?
Oh, well.

Man, are the semis rolling
Sixteen wheels to the tenth power
Aluminum boxes, rectangles,
Harness to screaming, mechanical,
Diesel powered, torque turning,
Piston popping, valve hopping,
Gear messing horses.
Aerodynamic, at that.

I don’t know what it is?
The feeling of motion,
Twentieth century motion.
The humming sound that tires make.
Oh, oh, patches in the road.
Gee, that dip felt good!
Stomach actual felt no gravitational pull.
Now, we’re humming along
Moments flashing by.
No, one big Monet or
Is it Van Gogh?
Maybe it’s the way the sky looks
When I’m moving twentieth century style.
Forget about payroll, bills, even health.
Yes, Mr. Kilmer, who like so many died for a cause.

And the birds are truly amazing,
Diving, rising, turning, etc., etc., etc.
Clouds glide by.
I read once- you see it in the clouds.
Not too many, but enough.
That one looks like some strange bird, but it’s changing.
It’s a stylized Byzantine horse, billowy, white linen
Yes, mythology. Yes, anthropology.
Did I mention white?

I know twentieth century motion pollutes.
I see and smell the exhaust.
I see the plastic cups and other so-called garbage.
Sometimes, before a town or whatever,
The signs are thicker than the trees.
Oh no! No trees!

Police, like lions of the Serengeti
Catching the ones they can.
We have never been here before.
Never so many, so concentrated.
Are we diverse in this twentieth century?
Wilson Creek, beautiful color, reflections, ripples, currents.
H2O E=MC2 so M=C2/E

Now we are humming again.
Sarah, is so beautiful.
That’s what it is.
The changing scenery.
Could be Tar River?
Ryder Rent a truck, yellow as
Bright yellow flowers of miles back.
We are the blood and the road is the veins.
Long winding curve,
Wonder what’s around the bend?
If I keep moving, I’ll find out.
Right! Another curve the other way.
Yes, twentieth century motion.

Carl Vota, 1995