Floydd Michael Elliott

Hands clutched to the steering wheel
Anger shuffling through ... my Darth Vader
trying to find ... my Yoda pose
while this steering box ... shudders
with transmission fluid ... leaks
onto the nowhere highway ... (how is it going forward still?)
I’m done with this check ‘n panic ... in Skipper’s van
Breathing the sweat off my lips ... hunched and elbows taunt
Trying ... Not ...to play road Pac-man
back ‘n forth the steering wheel must be tossed ... until it engages tire
between my loosened video game fingers ... when I grip
the over-compensate kicks in ... and the danger swerve threatens
(I’ll make my wife lead the way ... so her eyes ... only rearview light
... upon my accident ... waiting)
Almost to Amarillo and my neck so taunt with ... the Dark Side of the Force
I can’t sleep in Brian’s house ... wishing he drank whiskey ... so I could borrow
Instead this fitful dream state of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker
fighting it out ... throwing light sabers ... using Force powers
to control a little cement block ghetto tenant building ... floating in space
I was Luke ... protecting the innocent children
within the bare ... white-walled building
And Darth? ... well... he was just being Evil
I don’t know what his motives were ... really
Just trying to kill me and take this
worthless piece... of space real estate
And the kids? just stayed inside the ghetto building
staring at a glowing static filled television ... transfixed
ignorant or uncaring of my battle to save them ... the galaxy
...from this Dark Side
Morning finds me again searching for my Yoda pose ... as I sit in Skipper’s van
no pools of fluid on the ground... yet
and it starts... angry white smoke billows... rich gasoline textures
plenty of throttle to overcome... disintegrated cold-start valve
We will roll onward ...and I still hate this check ‘n panic with all my Darth Vader
I am Not built Ford tough ... especially not vintage cargo white Econoline
Try to make this pleasant... play my Miles Davis to cool to my Yoda
concentrate on this unpredictable journey
...go slow... go slow
Yoda whispering in my ear... “Your anger is this van, overcome it you must”
adding “Slap Skipper in the mouth, next time you see him, you will”