POEM - The Car May Not Make the Man, But it Does Influence His Driving Habits

Somewhere between
Seeing the rail crossing
And gauging the mechanical health
Of this motor vehicle I ride in
My right foot moves left
Or stays in place and presses down
Depending on the amount of air
I desire beneath my wheels
Depending on the car I am in
Depending on the passengers I have
Depending on the cargo I carry
Depending on the size of the explanation
I will need to come up with
To account for the potential damage
Or the decibel of the screams
I am willing to endure
Or the chiropractic investment
I am willing to make
A million variables
In between instances

And I already know ahead of time
For some of my normal whips
What my conscience will allow
In the mini-van it is simple
Regardless of everything
I solemnly swear
I will get no air
No matter what
No matter where
But in the Volvo
With the heavy-duty suspension
And me as the only occupant
I may push the limits
See what it can handle
Drift on the dirt road
Hit the bump a little hard

But in the company Jeep
With the big off-road tires
And the incredible ground clearance
Stiff suspension
Great handling
Practically begging to fly
To jump and run and take the bumps
At a high rate of speed
Aggressive and daring
I suddenly assume a daredevil role
That I wasn't fully prepared for
With such ferocity and intensity
A hibernating beast awakened
Simply by getting in the seat
Sitting at the wheel
Driving down the road
A few miles and I am alive
Influenced by the machine
Awakened by the feel of the road
Exhilarated
Machine overwrites reason
Sensability surrendered
To the power measured in horses