No Outlet

[wasellajam]

No Outlet

In April when the trees begin to leaf
the year-round denizens emerge
to greet each other, waking up
to bask in sweatered sunlit breeze. Very charming iambic tetrameter...'SWEATered SUNlit BREEZE'. Alliteration pairings of 'bask'/'breeze' and 'sweatered'/'sunlit' work like a treat. 

Then June arrives and neighbors clog
the road, no room to turn around; 

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in many moves a car can just
about reverse its route to flee.

The meter in L3 and 4 is just fantastic - your alliteration pairings also complement this rhythm: "many moves" and "reverse/route". I think the reason I am so drawn to it is because it reminds me of... "For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being// Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door." The monosyllabics, the rhythm, the alliteration are all very resonant of your own lines. 

I personally read it aloud like this, all in one consistent tempo: "in MANy MOVES a CAR can JUST aBOUT reVERSE its ROUTE to FLEE."

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September comes, the hubbub dims
except for weekend warriors
anticipating blazing views
of mountain forests poised for sleep.

I am trying to wrap my head around this stanza - trying to work out the significance behind the weekend warriors and their obsession with the views. I have a few competing interpretations but I'll get them down on paper once I flesh it out.

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Now Winter slowing to a stop,
I was wondering whether present simple sound better here... "Now Winter slows to a stop," but I actually think "slowing" helps to drag the line longer, reminiscent of Winter's own tedious drag.

its tires clad in chains for grip I quite like this image of Winter as a vehicle, mechanical and robust - the harsh-sounding "grip" is well-placed at the end. Also an interesting callback to your cars in June.
demands an effort unfulfilled
to slide its way to anywhere.

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To me, this poem is written by a narrator who is observant, but also somewhat critical. 

On a surface level, it is about the cyclical nature of all 4 seasons (the 'year-round denizens' at the beginning was also evocative of this), and the vehicle motif is sustained throughout - unrestrained it drives along senselessly, no destination, as it does each year. There is also however to me, a kind of tension/interaction/relationship between the narrator, tourists/citizens and nature generally - almost a resentment...  "neighbours clog" and "weekend warriors" gave life to that idea for me. Almost as if the N finds it stifling and wants... an outlet  

But I am still trying to wrap my head around it - it gives me something to dwell on tonight when I should (really) be doing my class prep.

Hi, P, I so appreciate your detailed read and comments. I'm happy to have a reader enjoying the alliteration. I try, often unsuccessfully, to rein it in but I just love all those slippery sounds. There are a few things I'm worried about with this one, I'll surely keep your notes in mind when I edit.