image from pinterest.com
Ode to Muscle
“If a writer has to rob memories of his mother, he
will not hesitate.”--William Faulkner
The last muscle car
I ever owned was
a 1973 Mustang,
Pantera styling,
jet black & waxed,
a fastback,
a 4-speed transmission,
and 400 horsepower
out of a 351 Cleveland V-8.
After a while though,
I began to realize,
it was damn heard to see
out out the small back window,
it averaged 8 miles to the gallon.
and because it was a classic,
it was very hard to find parts.
Insurance was too high,
maintenance was prohibitive,
repair costs were outlandish,
and I banged it up twice
backing up blind.
Glenn Buttkus
Posted over at dVerse Poets Pub--Odes
I have never thought that buying a car is a rational decision... ha... and my car has 200 Horse Powers from 1.6 liter... and collision radar. But still not what I would really need.
ReplyDeleteI like this. My first muscule car was a 1966 Mustang. this puts me in mind of a song by Chris Kane:I taught you lessons about freedom
ReplyDeleteStrapped to the bucket of a 455.
I lit your hair on fire
Racing ten mile flats
Where American heavy metal thrives...
Mine was a 4 speed and I jammed it, seriously. Loved that car until I drove it under a semi while being severely snockered.
I've never heard of a muscle car! I'm not one for anything bigger than a VW Beetle or a mini. I'm a bit of a scaredy-cat where cars are concerned.
ReplyDeleteI've never owned any car like that, but I do remember the first car I ever had costing $300 that I bought against my father's wishes. It lasted a few months, but it was my first car.
ReplyDeleteIn praise of that muscle car! And did you ride around in it with a white short sleeved tee-shirt with the cuffs rolled up? Or a leather jacket? :) 8 miles to the gallon....oh my! I remember "scooping the loop" in high school with my boyfriend in his old Chevy -- just riding around and around about a 4 block area....slowly enough to wave and be seen :) Those were the days! My husband had a high gloss black and yellow old ford that he called the Bee! :) Memories......
ReplyDeleteI love the last two lines.
ReplyDeleteStill, it was a hot car.
‘65 red Mustang - where are you now?
ReplyDeleteHaha - That is def a muscle car, did the ladies like it?
ReplyDeleteI never owned one but I can see the attraction of those muscle cars Glenn ~ Some likes them super fast ~
ReplyDeleteLove this! A classic car owner has a problems we can't even imagine.
ReplyDeleteThis works so well as a metaphor for our positive bias toward the past and the difficulty of change, even when what we had wasn't that perfect. I love your realistic ode, with its wit and muscle.
ReplyDeleteWe all outgrow our toys, eventually. How sad, but at least we had them a time and enjoyed them.
ReplyDeleteI so wanted a new yellow convertible Mustang when I graduated in 1965 and I posted pictures of one on my walls!! Your ode is not as praiseworthy as it might have been had it been a more practical car.....nevertheless, it was eye candy and all admired it, I’m sure.🙂
ReplyDeleteA nice ode to your last muscle car and to the *you* of that time.
ReplyDeletelove the ode, and the twist -- the difference between the high of getting something wanted (probably for a quite a while) and then the reality of having it. Ah well, at least we will always have the photographs, smiling.
ReplyDeleteMy dream car: the 1969 stingray corvette, black with tinted windows, and the fishtail! Of course, I will only buy one if I ever gross a million plus in royalties from that elusive first best-seller! Sigh!
ReplyDelete