Car poems are all about the journey, the memories that are made, and the friendships that are formed. They’re about the freedom of the open road, and the wind in your hair. They’re about loving something enough to travel along with it and letting it take you wherever you want to go. So put on your favorite playlist, crank up the windows, and let these poems about cars take you on a ride as you’ve never had before.
1. The Motor Car by Henry Lawson
The motor car is sullen, like a thing that should not be;
The motor car is master of Smart Society.
’Twas born of sweated genius and collared by a clown;
’Twas planned by Retribution to ride its riders down.
The poem The Motor Car is a humorous and satirical take on the rise of the automobile and the changes it brought to society. In the poem, Lawson describes how the motor car has revolutionized transportation and the way people live their lives, but also how it has brought about new problems and challenges. The poem ends with the narrator declaring that, despite its flaws, he still shows his passion for it.
Despite the criticism, the poem also suggests that the motor car is a powerful and transformative technology that has changed the world in significant ways. In the final lines of the poem, the narrator declares that “folk shall yet pass sanely by river, tree and grass,” suggesting that, while the motor car has brought about negative changes, it may also be possible to find a more balanced and harmonious way of living with it.
2. To Motorists by Rudyang Kipling
And souls enslaved to gears and bands;
Here shall no graver curse be said
Than, though y’are quick, that ye are dead!
To Motorists appears to be a satirical critique of motorists and the negative impact they have on the environment and society. Rudyang Kipling describes motorists as being ‘enslaved to gears and bands‘, suggesting that they are controlled by their vehicles and the technology they use. The final line ‘Than, though y’are quick, that ye are dead!‘ could be interpreted as a wish for the end of the negative effects of the automobile on society.
Overall, To Motorists is a thoughtful and timely poem that encourages responsible and considerate driving. It is a reminder that our actions on the road can have serious consequences for ourselves and others, and that it is important to be mindful of this responsibility when behind the wheel.
3. Driving by Lisa Russ Spaar
Cathedral silence. Then door opens
to a tray, tawny tea, weak as straw.
As whiskey grass, flashing now. Fleeing past.
Driving is a poem by Lisa Russ Spaar that reflects on the experience of driving and the complex emotions and sensations that it can evoke. One of the main themes of the poem is the idea of escape and freedom. The speaker describes the experience of driving as “a liberation,” and speaks of the “open road” and the “unfurled landscape” that it offers. These images suggest that driving can be a way to escape from the constraints of daily life and explore the world around us.
Overall, Driving is a reflective and thought-provoking poem that captures the complex emotions and sensations that driving can evoke. It is a tribute to the freedom and excitement that driving can offer, while also acknowledging the importance of caution and responsibility on the road.
4. The Little Car by Guillaume Apollinaire
That the little car had taken us into a New epoch
And although we were both grown men
We had just been born
The poem The Little Car appears to be a personal recollection of a journey taken in a car in the days leading up to the start of World War I. Guillaume Apollinaire describes the sense of change and upheaval that was taking place in Europe at the time, the sense of danger and violence that was present, and also the sense of transformation that was taking place.
The final lines of the poem describe the sense of being “born” as the car arrives in Paris just as the mobilization posters for the war are going up, suggesting the sense of personal and historical change that the speaker has experienced. Also, The Little Car is a joyful and celebratory poem that captures the sense of freedom and liberation that driving a car can bring. It is a tribute to the pleasures of the physical world and the joys of exploration and discovery.
5. Firebird Man by Fred Decker, Gary Johnson, & Randy Green
I’m driving through the sky
The wind in my face
The clouds zooming by
I always knew this baby could fly!
I’m a Firebird Man!
Firebird Man is a poem that tells the story of a man who is rebuilding a 1968 Pontiac Firebird with his brother Doug. The poem describes the process of rebuilding the car and the excitement and sense of accomplishment that the man feels when it is finally completed. It illustrates the man’s dream of flying through the sky in the Firebird, suggesting that even in his injured state, he is still able to find joy and escape in his memories of driving the car.
Overall, Firebird Man seems to be celebrating the bond between the two brothers and the sense of freedom and excitement that comes with working on and driving a classic car. Also, it is a tribute to the courage and determination that it takes to pursue one’s dreams and to embrace the unknown, and is a reminder that there is always more to discover and experience in the world.
6. Bright Red Car by Charles Bukowski
I was 18 miles past my destination but it
didn’t matter.
it was a beautiful sunny day.
Bright Red Car describes the experience of a man who finds himself in a high-speed duel on the freeway with a young Japanese-American man driving a bright red car. The poem describes the sense of excitement and adrenaline that the man feels as he and the other driver jockey for position, darting in and out of lanes.
In the end, Charles Bukowski decides to let the other driver go and turns the radio on, suggesting a sense of detachment or resignation about the whole experience. After all, the pushed boundaries and tested limits experience of him was just a ‘beautiful sunny day’. The speaker’s realization that either the car or the race has brought him true happiness or fulfillment can be seen as a commentary on the inherent emptiness of materialism and the importance of finding fulfillment in more meaningful pursuits.
Final thoughts
The best part of all these poems is that they’re not just beautiful, but also serve as a space to say how you really feel about cars. From loving to disliking them, these poems bring out very different feelings. To sum it up, they are a mix of nostalgia, joy, and excitement that can make anyone fall in love with cars all over again.
Thomas Dao is the guy who created Poem Home, a website where people can read about all things poetry related. When he’s not busy working on his next project, you can find him reading a good book or spending time with family and friends.
