Vanitas - edit3

[dukealien]

Vanitas


Nine Airflow-era cars lie all aligned
long V-8 noses aimed toward a road
they ride no more.  Fender to fender
running-board to running-board they rest
round, round in ways that seem
no longer streamlined
yet they are.

How could decades of snow and rain
have left such smooth chestnut patinas?
And this day they show no chrome
but as traffic passes all their glass
remaining – splinters, panels, triangles -
sun-sparkles with reflected radiance
from this final monument.

Down their facing road a sapphire Beamer
gleaming liquid luxury slides by
dismissively, far too superior
to be concerned with brown old roadside wrecks.
But of its cool quartz daytime headlights
only one
is lit.

edit 2;

Nine Airflow-era cars lie all aligned
long V-8 noses aimed toward a road
they ride no more.  Fender to fender
running-board to running-board they rest
round, round in ways that seem
no longer streamlined
yet they are.

Warm chestnut brown so uniform and smooth
how could it just be rust, no elements
would be so kind?  They show no glint of chrome
but as traffic passes all their glass
remaining – splinters, panels, triangles -
sun-sparkles with reflected radiance
from this final monument.

Down their facing road a sapphire Beamer
gleaming liquid luxury slides by
dismissively, far too superior
to be concerned with brown old roadside wrecks.
But of its cool quartz headlights only one
is lit.

edit1;

Nine Airflow-era cars lie all aligned
long V-8 noses aimed toward a road
they ride no more.  Fender to fender
running-board to running-board they rest
round, round in ways that seem
no longer streamlined yet they are, they are.
Warm chocolate-brown so uniform and smooth
how could it just be rust?  No elements
would be so kind.  They show no glint of chrome
but as traffic passes all their glass
remaining – splinters, panels, triangles -
sun-flashes brighter than cut diamonds
broken, yes, but not bereft of pride.

Down their facing road a sapphire Beamer
gleaming liquid luxury slides by
dismissively, far too superior
to be concerned with brown old wrecks.
But of its cool quartz headlights only one
is lit.

original version;

Nine Airflow-era cars lie all aligned
long vee-eight noses aimed toward a road
they may not ride.  Fender to fender
running-board to running-board they rest
round, round in ways that seem
no longer streamlined yet they are, they are.
Brown, brown and brown so uniform and smooth
how could it just be rust, no elements
would be so kind.  They show no glint of chrome
but as traffic passes all their glass
remaining – splinters, panels, triangles -
sun-flashes brighter than cut diamonds
broken, yes, but not bereft of pride.

Down their facing road a sapphire Beamer
gleaming liquid luxury runs by
dismissively, far too superior
to bother with round brown old wrecks.
But of its cool quartz headlights only one
is lit.

Running out of gas working on this one; thinking of "bling" instead of "pride" but seems out of place or time.