How to kill a classic

[Keith]

Edit 1
All I needed was one blast
around the block.
My small hands on the cool metal
of the Bonnevilles blue and white tank,
Dad keeping me safe
with his James Dean cigarette
and fly away fringe.
I felt like a test pilot,
face in the wind.

I grew and paid homage
on my own spoked wheel of Triumph
each racing line scrubbed and skutched,
I sat back and begged for
the mad mile of adrenaline.

All it takes is ten pints
at two in the morning,
and a girlfriend away at uni.
When good ideas
only get as far as the first corner,
then swinging arms snap
like a collar bone.


Original
All it takes is one blast
around the block.
Small hands grip the cool metal
of the Bonnevilles blue and white.
Dad keeping you safe
with his James Dean cigarette.

Something starts with that rush of air,
oil moves beneath the bearing,
each racing line scrubbed and skutched,
the mad mile of adrenaline.

All it takes is ten pints
and a girlfriend away at uni.
A fight over fruit bowl keys
at two in the morning,
when good ideas
only get as far as the first corner.