Emergency Parking

[Philatone]

V. 2 (thanks to billy, ray, and tec)


Changing the tire, you muttered
something about four bolts instead of six

lodging the wheel to the car
above a fresh plowed lane.

Four bolts worth of elevated highways
and salted asphalt folded into an odometer;

just enough to tempt a drive
the way a child drops his gloves,

despite his father's warnings,
to make the perfect snowball.







V. 1


Changing the tire, you muttered
something about four bolts
instead of six

lodging the wheel to the car
in this moment of frozen repair.

Four bolts worth of elevated
highways and salted asphalt
folded into an odometer;

just enough to tempt a drive
the way a child drops his gloves,

despite his father's
warnings about the cold,
to make the perfect snowball.