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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The Poem

First of all, I hope everyone had a great holiday and will have a happy and safe New Years. Santa came in style at the Tanner household as usual. He brought all kinds of good stuff for kids and adults alike. Highlights of my Christmas loot are a sweet pair of sneakers from my lovely wife, an ipod clock radio for my garage, and some $$$ towards my wheel/engine fund (still haven't decided).
It's been a good year, and God has blessed us abundantly. I know it's been a while since my last post, so hopefully I still have someone interested enough to read my drivel. I look forward to catching up on your blogs as well. I came across this poem that my wife had me write for her for an English assignment a couple semesters back. I wrote it in about 5 minutes with no preparation so it's not a masterpiece by any stretch, but it does express some of the feelings that riding my Harley evokes in me. Hope you enjoy it.


Eighty chrome spokes spinning like saw blades,
melting into the pavement.
Forty-one millimeter forks gripping the disc in its place.
Beefy ape hanger handlebars give a menacing profile.
The single blazing headlight casts a cold cyclopsian stare.

The pungent smell of exhaust
as eighty-eight cubic inches of hell raising history come to life.
The low clean lines of the fat tank and ample fenders
curve down into the frame which houses the heart of the beast.
Like an outlaw adorned with skulls casting sinister stares,
it evokes trepidation in all who it encounters.
Chrome adornments give this American masterpiece an eye catching glimmer.

Like temptation, lust, even addiction,
once you are in its grasp you become its prisoner.
You live to ride, you ride to live.
The saddle creaks under you,
like that of a cowboy in the old west.

Nostalgia and patriotism envelope me,
calling to mind those who have given their lives at home and on foreign soil
so that I might ride free.

Humility grips my soul.
Pride drives me on.
The bar and shield beckon me,
like the stars and stripes over a soldiers casket.

This is my motorcycle, this is my Harley.



By the way...she got an A+!!!

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE

8 comments:

Betsy said...

Thanks for doing my homework...you sure are a great husband. I love the poem and I can vouch for the addiction part.

fasthair said...

Mr. RTR: You must be a pretty special guy for your lovely wife to talk you into doing her homework for her. I had a knack in school of getting the girls to do my homework. Must be why I didn’t learn much in school I guess.

I still enjoy reading your drivel and this poem ranks right up there. Nice job.

Happy New Year!

fasthair

TRT said...

fasthair, probably not special, just a sucker. That's okay, she's work a lot more than a little homework. Have a safe New Years Eve!!!

IHG said...

What a great poem! Thanks for sharing it with us!

Happy New Year to you and your family!

"Joker" said...

I'm not much for poetry I have to admit, so I'm no judge...but I do like anything that pays homage to a Harley, and pay it you did.

Happy New Year to you and yours!

Mr. Motorcycle said...

That's really good. What do I know, other than I really enjoyed reading it! You should submit it to HD!

Lady R (Di) said...

I think Mr. M. has a good point.

Imagine this: A deep husky voiced narrator reciting your poem, while a camera pans across a gleaming motorcycle, in extreme close up shots, giving the viewer the feeling of looking a beautiful machine up and down and all around...

Now that will sell motorcycles!

Great Poem and it was nice that you helped your wife earn an "A".

Anonymous said...

I give it an A+ as well.

Ride on,
Torch