We

drive

.

because

.

w

e

. 

might

find,

.

.

o

r

.

.

we

might

.

n

o

t

.

find . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

because

.

w

e

.

might

buy,

.

.

o

r

.

.

we

might

.

n

o

t

.

buy . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

.

.

.

we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

because

.

w

e

.

might

shine,

.

.

o

r

.

.

we

might

.

n

o

t

.

shine . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We 

drive 

.

f

o

r

.

the

eyes . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We 

drive 

.

f

o

r

.

the

smiles . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

f

o

r

.

the

highs . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We 

drive 

.

f

o

r

.

what

might . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

because

.

w

e

. 

might

like,

.

.

o

r

.

.

we

might

.

n

o

t

.

like . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

because

.

w

e

. 

might

rhyme,

.

.

o

r

.

.

we

might

.

n

o

t

.

rhyme . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

because

.

w

e

. 

might

surprise,

.

.

o

r

.

.

we

might

.

n

o

t

.

surprise . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We 

drive 

.

f

o

r

.

the

delight . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We 

drive 

.

f

o

r

.

the

prize . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

f

o

r

.

the

rise . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We 

drive 

.

f

o

r

.

the

upside . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

f

o

r

.

the

lights . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

f

o

r

.

the

lies . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

f

o

r

.

the

climb . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

f

o

r

.

the

dive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

t

o

.

ignite . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

t

o

.

excite . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

t

o

.

entice . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive

.

t

o

.

energize . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

night,

.

.

a

f

t

e

r

.

.

night,

.

.

a

f

t

e

r

.

.

night . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

mile,

.

.

a

f

t

e

r

.

.

mile,

.

.

a

f

t

e

r

.

.

mile . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

time,

.

.

a

f

t

e

r

.

.

time,

.

.

a

f

t

e

r

.

.

time . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

try,

.

.

a

f

t

e

r

.

.

try,

.

.

a

f

t

e

r

.

.

try . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ we

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

j

u

s

t

–

–

–

to

arrive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

j

u

s

t

–

–

–

to

arrive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

drive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

j

u

s

t

–

–

–

to

arrive . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

to

.

f

e

e

l

.

alive.

Reflection: 

This is a reflective-themed poem I started writing one night when I was out downtown. The opening lines came to me, and the poem pretty much came into being from that. Initially, the opening lines contained the repeating phrase: “we ride” but after reflecting on the poem I concluded this was too passive for the message I was trying to capture and convey. I initially replaced the phrase with “we try” but that seemed too weak, so I then replaced that with “we drive” which seemed much better in the context of actively driving towards something – something much more forceful, deliberate, intentional, and reflective of what the poem is truly about. I played a wonderful, haunting gem of a song – “Fingertips” by Brian Jonestown Massacre in the background to create the “moodset” and inspire the writing of the poem. If you listen to this song at low volume while reading this poem, you might better get the “feel” of it.