Asleep At The Wheel

Day 4 and I can really see how massive a challenge this is going to be. But a good one.

I drove to Las Vegas with my band, The Stuns, and our friend Simon yesterday. I did nothing but rush around, drive a car, or explore Vegas after yesterday's post. So when I got back to my hotel room late last night I knew I had to commit to some creative time. I started writing this poem, Asleep At The Wheel, and ironically was soon doing so in a metaphorical sense and had to finish it after I woke this morning.

Asleep At The Wheel

Rolling by the white lines
Metal flying at many times
The speed that it's allowed to go
Determined to devour the road
Before me at a record pace
Even though I know it's not a race
The only thought is destination
"Now" gets no consideration
Except if there's a need for gas
Or a turn to assure the shortest path
But inevitably the mind goes numb
Eyelids heavy in the sun
Or headlights' tunnel vision glow
You fight it but quite soon you know
You're walking down that thin white line
Yet still determination climbs
Above the thought of reason true
Not wanting to admit that you
Can't win this ever dangerous fight
Though you still tell yourself you might
The truth remains that you can't win
And the price of loss now hovering
In the back of your dull mind
Is witness to the floating line
Even though you're not aware at all
As silently the eyelids fall...

It's OK. I made it to Vegas. As I did to and from San Francisco last week. But sometimes I wonder how. And realise that I'm too willing to walk that line because I'm in too much of a rush to reach my destination, and - against all logical reason I might add - so desperately don't want to stop. How does the adage go? "Better alive than never." I don't remember but from now on I'm going to be more committed to enjoying the journey than being so focused on the destination. In my general day to day life as well as my driving habits.