by Jenny Maxwell
We have a history of breaking down,
You and I,
Of setting off on back roads
And sputtering to stops,
Of leaving cars and hitching rides
To where we need to be.
We have a history of breaking down.
Seven years since I bought
This sturdy SUV. Problems?
Never. Not one.
But overheating now, I coast onto your block
Spewing brackish water
In the space I’ve grabbed
Beneath your office window.
It’s only lunch, you said,
So after seven years
I meet you here, my hair all wild,
Hands dirty. Hood up. Remembering.
We have a history of breaking down.
Jenny Maxwell lives in Columbia, S.C. She thanks Jenny for helping her get her Year of Submission off to a great start.