In her messy jalopy, she made a bit of room for me
had to pick up empties; I counted twenty-three
I said, “You really like cream soda, I see”
She gave me a nod and thumbs up, my friend Vee.
We gave been comrades for a while, have shared history.
She has never been a neatnik like her mom or sister Bree.
Her car looks like it has been well-loved, lived in totally
I adore the unapologetic casual messiness of my friend Vee.
Want a ride in my jalopy asked Uncle Lou
That depends said Shelly. Is a jalopy an athletic shoe?
Where would you get that idea? Her uncle asked, surprised.
It sounds like something you would wear on a foot; she surmised.
Just saw a fancy new jalopy go by
At least that's what we used to call 'em
Guess the ad men would surely cringe
Jalopy wouldn't cut it for them!
With all of today's sexy new cars
Jalopy is a blast from the past
The pace of life was much slower then
Less frantic and surely not as fast!
Any of you remember “rumble seats”?
Wonder why they called them so
1939 was the last time we saw them
Gone with those silent movie shows!
But the reality is there's no going back
We're stuck in this frantic new world
One which no longer has time for niceties
My mind's in a tizzy and a whirl!
I take solace in knowing in coming years
Today's technology and texting
Will be just as passé as the old jalopy
The future will be even more perplexing!
Just saw a fancy new jalopy go by
Traveled back to another time and place
Enjoyed the much simpler things in life
At a slower and less frantic pace!
J'aime la vie…I love life, with all that it brings
Alleviating the jarring pain of potholed roads
Labour uphill, thankful for easy descents,
Observe the rules, most watchful for red lights
Plagued at times by ailments, wear and tear
Yet, like a defiant aging car, I chug on and on.
------------------
11th July, 2023
Each crescent moon rewinds time’s notes
and sweeps me back to our blessed haven
where long has stayed my peaked presence.
I would love to be back in our cozy cabin
where we grew magical feelings of happy.
All of our shared yesterday seconds
were love expressed while money distressed
and both such ways were my life’s best days.
We could barely afford a potty when on our
first anniversary you wrapped a Scottie puppy
inside an old jalopy that was red bow capped.
A car some might call shoddy mapped our
love in endless feelings of freedom's happy.
Tonight’s moon knows our fiftieth anniversary
soon comes, it poses then my life will be done
and with Scottie, you will greet me in our old jalopy.
I have long prayed to regain our embracing love
within Heaven's divine feelings of happy.
Jalopy
J unkyard treasure discovered under a pile of worn tires held together with bailing wire duct tape and faith.
A ntique veteran of time traveled back roads before the miles of asphalt Interstate highways were laid still refusing to retire
L and yacht Titanic once admired by wanting eyes viewed now with glares seeing only your wounds of wear unnoticed is your loyal service
O pulent commander surrendering right of way to compacts and sportscars with reputations of low gas milage performance
P ile of sun tortured rusted metal past resurrection of a Simoniz massage to restore the brillance you once shined when your paint glimmered color
Y our perservance I rewarded with my grin of appreciation everytime the key turned in the ignition sparking life into your forever engine delivering me to another destination.
.
Jalopy my first car introduced me to street freedom a magic carpet with four wheels three on the tree my ride I'd drive with pride in my youth
Jalopy we journeyed teenaged smiling miles together never will I forget open roads with speed that beat the racing wind cruising just me and you Cruising just me and you.
In nineteen-eighty-five, so long ago,
a dark red B M W became
our son and wife's new car in Germany
while stationed there as Army officers.
Though many cars replaced it since that time,
the B M V remained with them
because their son eventually declared
he hoped it would become his car someday.
Fast forward to today- a dream come true;
the B M W antique lives on!
Through dedicated hours, he has restored
most everything to bring it back to new.
From motor, brakes, transmission, leather seats,
to all the chrome details outside and in,
new tires- and soon, a shiny bright paint job-
his project, done with love- the last two years.
The BMW exceeds his age-
about five years- but still its will to live
was met with our grandson's fine skills to give
new life to its jalopy heart again.
July 23, 2019
For The Contest ~ The Gem That Slipped Through The Cracks
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh
On pavements of pink hued highway
Ocean smiled in eyes of children
Roadside toads croaked with joy at the
Old Jalopy looking sublime
Pain in both knees and heart pounding
Still purple smile on blooming lips
All vintage cars looked with envy
At the swinging old Jalopy
Thin chin bald head dry skin still strong
How old are you asked the Fiat
Well past hundred said it smiling
All hands waved at old Jalopy
Bouquets and wreaths lifted its mood
It now ran with faster motion
Well ahead of competitors
Suddenly the Jalopy crashed
Gathered people embraced the gold
Fondly they called it's our treasure
Garlanded it with red lilies
Autumn raindrops showered fragrance
July 19, 2019
The Old Jalopy Poetry Contest
1st Car ( Katarina )
VW Beatle
VW Beatle
VW Beatle
2nd Car ( Michelle )
Mini Cooper
Mini Cooper
Mini Cooper
3rd Car ( Rachael )
Alpha Romeo
Alpha Romeo
Alpha Romeo
Old Jalopy Car History
Spent more time Under them
Than actually In them
But all Cars with Character
And i Loved and Cherished
Every 1 of Her
For the Craig Cornish
Old Jalopy
Poetry Contest
In the scrapyard
Abandoned and forlorn
Sunburned lackluster paint
Scavengers’ delight
Headlights dashboard fins
Leather seats and
Glistening rims long gone
Nothing to do but reminisce
The glory of hey days
Top down cruising the boulevard
Miles and miles of sun and valley
That was then and this is now
Kicking back and resting
Sadly waiting for the crusher
Published in my 24-page photo/anthology ~RANDOM MUSINGS VOL.1~ 2020
AP: 2nd place 2022, Honorable Mention 2022
Submitted on March 15, 2020 for contest STRAND CHOICE G sponsored by BRIAN STRAND - RANKED 2ND
the old jalopy...
manufacture Oldsmobile;
daily drove to work;
inside my garage,
also dad's 1915 Model J car;
old that jalopy...
that old jalopy,
manufactured by Lozier;
three-three horsepower;
slobmodel auto;
designed with rocket tail-lights;
that old jalopy...
my dad drove in style;
his nineteen-fifty eight Olds,
drove old jalopy;
7/12/19
The Old Jalopy Poetry Contest
Trash the old jalopy
It’s just piles of scraps
Out- dated and no good
It’s just junk sitting under the hood
Junk yard bound
It’s ready to go
Drag it to the scrap yard
Looking at it, makes it hard
I had it for so long
it’s just rusted out tin
My jalopy is like my best friend
And I tried to keep it till the end
They say jalopy, I called her Ethyl
She was a tough one, and she was special
Could have called her cranky I suppose
She needed lots of cranking the Lord knows
There was a crank for the engine up front
And cranks for the windows you had to hunt
A crank for the jack to change a spare tire
Crank the steering wheel till arms are on fire
You will always love the first one they say
And, oh, it is true to this very day
You can keep your power steering and brakes -
Trust me now boys, Ethyl had what it takes
7-11-19
Contest:The Old Jalopy
That jalopy is still puttin' along
Slow start on cold mornings
Loud stinky foul exhaust
And the finish is quite weathered
His seat is lumpy
He uses a lot of fuel
Not as fast anymore
And has a screw loose somewhere
But she tells her girlfriends
She still loves her husband
After forty two years
Even if he's not the man he used to be
The Old Jalopy Poetry Contest
7/9/19
Ye old jalopy of the junkyard
spiffed up
with spinning tires
hydroplaning of the weather vane
no ejection seat
no buckle to fumble
open air
hit from behind
the child held with grandma’s wrought iron arms
grandpa’s at the pearly gates
chooses lemon-lime
7/8/2018
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