A Clear February Night

Exploding out of the trees at 125 mph
Seemingly not touching the ground
All four wheels weightless
Beginning the sweeping descent down the long hill

Spread out ahead
Like a contoured map in a museum
The shoreline curved gracefully to the right
Marked by the streetlights
On the road running along Marquette Bay

Off in the distance
Perhaps fifteen miles away yet
The city shone brightly
Like Emerald City
But with a bright yellow light instead of green

The old Chrysler was WFO
My foot had scarcely let up on the accelerator
This whole way across the Upper Peninsula
Since crossing the Mackinaw Bridge

Straight up from the bridge
Then turning left onto 123
Blazing into the February night
Brightly lit by a three quarter moon in a cloudless sky

Through Hamlets and Towns
Sometimes not even realizing I was in one
Until I was almost out of it
Pressing hard on the floor
Keeping the carb's butterfly straight up and down

Left onto 28
Quickly entering the Seney Stretch
Those twenty odd miles
Passing under my tires
In just over ten minutes time

Are those headlights ahead?
Is it the police?
Who fucking cares
Nothing can touch me this night
Not the law
Not wandering wildlife
No hazard can compete
With the little bubble I've created for myself
Ensconced within the forest green cabin
Of this errant Land Shark
Nosing it's way through the night

Moving
Or it might die
Moving quickly
Seeking to fly

Almost wishing this journey would never end
That twenty gallons of fuel could run through
Fill up
And run through again
Never stopping in between

Red toothy mouth open
Sucking in the stars
Eyes piercing the night
Staring it down
Pushing the bubble forward
This alternate reality

Where all things
Are as they should be