Keys to Your Car

 

You handed coveted car keys to your teenagers,

swallowed gnawing fears & worst-case scenarios

 

gave pieces of control to a god of independence

that deity empowered with coming of age.

 

Bumps along the road have softened with time,

speeding tickets of sixteen year olds racing to LA.

 

You didn’t need details, flat tires on interstates,

near miss passes over double yellow lines.

 

Somehow a familiar conversation lands in your

living room & email box, not so subtle, fifty years later:

 

Suggestions that it might be time to hand over 

your coveted set of car keys, swallow headstrong pride,

 

throw away your freedom, but make it your decision…

How is coming of age, joyous, but aging simply sucks?

 

June 26, 2021