My mum said "You go steady". My Dad said "Just take care."

So I put my foot down to the floor and made the owner swear.

I whizzed around the twisty track, for sixpence, twice a day.

"You're not suppose to corner on two wheels", the man would say.

Across the fields on my friend's farm I'd ride a great big Norton.

The throb, the race, the speed, the thrill, Like life - but more important.

Sixteen plus one day, I bought a Beezer, Super Rocket.

It cost me all the birthday money in my Wrangler pocket.

The guy said "Just go steady" as I wheeled her out the door.

I said, "If I wanted steady, I'd have an Ariel, Square Four."

So I went through all the British bikes of every famous marque.

And then the Japanese arrived. More style, more bite, more bark.

I had my crash (not my fault!), in nineteen eighty three.

Mum waited more than twenty years to say, "I told you so" to me.

Keyword: motorcycle crash speed go-carts

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Comments (12)

Posted by Andy6 2008-08-21 18:38:53 .... i liked this. It was quirky and nostalgic and pretty original too. Unpretentious and punchy. Can't think of any other adjectives ! Nice one + Report this comment
Posted by lemon 2008-08-21 19:13:55 .... that was kind of funny. i was wondering where this was going but the last line was the best. before my dad even let me get my license he took me to visit the grave of a 16 year old girl he tried unsuccessfully to save after she was in an accident. kids pray that your parents are never paramedics or firefighters if you want to get your license early lol o.O + Report this comment
Posted by ams 2008-08-21 19:46:57 .... i really liked this, it had a nice feeling to it. like the first person said, it felt quite nostalgic. i also liked the progression of how he started out racing go karts and ended up with the motorcycle, let he was destined to it or something. people always like to say 'i told you so.'it can be quite annoying though. + Report this comment
Posted by philneale1952 2008-08-22 01:52:53 Smiling That's what this one did to me Mr West. One big one from start to finish. Love rhyming couplets, always did, and you've set my day off to the right start. Thank you. Phil + Report this comment
Posted by Zombie Punk 2008-08-22 04:11:47 GO-CARTS AT HORNSEA Like I'm going to have to agree with Phil, this verse made me smile. I loved the rhyming scheme in this on, and like almost everybody else have already said, the last line was teh best. I love go-carts! Cheers, Max + Report this comment
Posted by Tarhead Mugwump 2008-08-22 23:05:15 music of the brain the biggest setback that i have when reading poetry is that my mind is constantly trying to turn it into a song... so this one was pretty appealing. i reads wonderfully. write on! + Report this comment
Posted by harmattan 2008-08-23 03:52:07 Tarhead's mind music Thanks TM My problem is I can only do ballads! H + Report this comment
Posted by wcromart03 2008-08-24 22:55:26 Pretty Cool That was pretty cool. I felt like the poem was from my experience. I've heard every thing in this poem told to me. But only the told you so havent came yet. + Report this comment
Posted by harmattan 2008-08-26 08:39:09 To wcromart03 It will! H + Report this comment
Posted by m.b. timothy 2008-08-30 11:35:48 .. i get the feeling of a classic postcard image of a mother watching her child race around, with hands over her gaping mouth and the father sitting in a chevy waiting to rush to the hospital. except this is worth more than the price of a stamp. i've enjoyed this read. + Report this comment
Posted by Terry Collett 2008-09-13 13:12:13 .... Ah...This took me back years. Southend, Margate, wherever, just so good asa kid in 1950s. Yes,and this fine poem had the qualities to bring that back and more as it brought us your past, the things which others might not know and it fills in that aspect of you that makes you more complete to us. I am going to read it again. + Report this comment
Posted by hafwit 2008-10-16 17:58:32 the smell of gas the taste of chrome. don't pleasure me ya know. I prefer the will of a horse and the chance that me he'll throw. thanks again! + Report this comment

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