Behind the Wheel: An Anthology of Poems About Driving

Driving is an activity that is both mundane and magical. It can be a chore or a pleasure, a solitary pursuit or a shared experience. It can take us to new places or help us to escape from reality. And it has inspired countless poets throughout history.

In this anthology, we have gathered some of the best poems about driving. These poems capture the many different aspects of this complex activity, from the exhilaration of speed to the peace of a quiet drive through the countryside.

Behind the Wheel: Poems about Driving

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	120 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	56 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE

The Joy of Driving

Driving can be a exhilarating experience, and many poets have written about the joy of getting behind the wheel. In "Ode to a Car," Pablo Neruda celebrates the freedom and power that comes with driving:

My car, my galloping horse,

You carry me through the world,

Over mountains and valleys,

Through cities and towns.

Other poets have written about the simple pleasure of driving for its own sake. In "The Open Road," Walt Whitman celebrates the beauty of the American landscape and the freedom to explore it by car:

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,

Healthy, free, the world before me,

The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.

The Perils of Driving

Driving can also be a dangerous activity, and poets have not shied away from writing about the perils of the road. In "Death of a Motorcyclist," Archibald MacLeish describes the tragic death of a young man who was killed in a motorcycle accident:

Under the rubber trees' green roof,

On the road going down to the sea,

Death in white tie and cotton gloves

Stands by the smashed motorcycle.

Other poets have written about the more mundane dangers of driving, such as traffic jams and road rage. In "Auto Wreck," Theodore Roethke describes the aftermath of a car accident:

The car had smashed into a wall
And then lay total on its back
A man and a woman sprawled out
A foot or two apart on the seat
Their faces gray and their hair
Stained with bright red blood.

The Meaning of Driving

For many people, driving is more than just a way to get from one place to another. It is a way to connect with the world around them. In "The Road Not Taken," Robert Frost writes about the importance of making choices and taking the road less traveled:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Other poets have written about the spiritual significance of driving. In "Driving to Wyoming," Mary Oliver writes about the transformative power of a long drive:

I have driven all night under a full moon.

The land has opened and spread out before me

Like a bed of dreams. I am driving toward mountains.

I am driving toward myself.

Driving is a complex and multifaceted activity that has inspired countless poets throughout history. Whether they are writing about the joy of driving, the perils of driving, or the meaning of driving, these poets have captured the many different ways that this activity can affect our lives.

Behind the Wheel: Poems about Driving

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	120 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	56 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE