of a Quarter-Million Miles on the Odometer
How does he love thee? Let me count the ways.
A grand machine, overdue for praise:
He loves thee to the depth and breadth and height
Worn tires can reach, when traveling out of sight
To the end of the highway: too old to race,
Yet onward, you keep your steady pace
Eschewing rust, you’ve stayed ever true
More than some lovers and friends could do —
Annual Maintenance renews yearly vows:
You roll past trucks, and cars, and cows
An Old Faithful better than Yellowstone’s plume,
You’ve long been the bride, and he, the groom:
No promises, hopes, some day ignored:
Not the inconstant Buick, Ford
The soon-to-be-broken Honda, Peugeot
It’s just on and on and on you go.
He’s 81 now, and you, 28:
Two long-time partners that still relate.
May marriages all have the same sweet appeal:
Sure foot on the pedal, firm hand on the wheel —
He’ll go to 100, if you’ll stay on track,
With long miles to go — to the moon and back.
Susan Matson, a Hightstown resident, works as director of teacher training for ELS Language Centers based in Princeton. When not writing curriculum she is busy raising two daughters.
