Donald Levering

to relieve me of my wheels

impatient for the insurance lady
to deny my claim to the open road

Expecting the divorce court
to cleave my carburetor

and divide my heart
Ready for my drive train

to come unhitched
for my water pump to give

Lining up for the recall
of my ignition

Resigned to futile intention
Anticipating the heat

from the tiny smelters
of my final consumers

 

Donald Levering is a past NEA Fellow in Poetry. He won the 2014 Literal Latté Award and was First Runner-Up for the Mark Fischer Prize in 2015. He has been a Duende Series Reader and was a Guest Poet in the Academy of American Poets online Forum. His 12th poetry book, The Water Leveling With Us, published by Red Mountain Press, won the 2015 New Mexico Press Women Book Award. More information is available at donaldlevering.com.