Car Dancing by Scott T. Hutchison

Car Dancing

My wife still drifts with a little shoulder sway
when her car radio lofts out its easy-listening tunes.
Me, I remain loyal and fierce to classic rock, bite into
some of the new alternative. Musically speaking,
we ain’t on the same note. Even so--one of us can’t even
grocery shop without the other, the two-party division
of labor involves reader of the list
and cart driver, and the choice of ice cream flavor
is always a joint decision. One can’t visit
the lumber yard/hardware store
without the other in attendance, hinges
and deck paint that important.

Volvo wagon or tricked-out Ford pickup,
there’s respect for the station
of choice for whoever sits behind the wheel,
and after the years have long ended
for mirror balls and crowded wooden floors,
for graceful nightlife and partyhounding,
after the knees have given way to
gravity and gravelly deposits, both of those cars
keep on rolling, the dial firmly set,
and hands keep sneaking across the seats
to hold the other’s, as base line and timpani
raise the heartrate while a comfortable glance
and the slightest of shimmys lets you know
that yeah, oh yeah, you’re still dancing.


Scott T. Hutchison writes both poetry and fiction, and teaches Creative Writing at Gilford High School. He served as State Director of the NH Young Writers’ Conference for thirteen years, and is on the rotating faculty of the New England Young Writers’ Conference. He was named New England Poet of the Year by the New England Association of Teachers of English in 2001. His book, Reigning In, was published by Black Bird Press in 2003. Hutchison currently resides in Gilford.

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Poem and photo used with the permission of the poet, all rights reserved.)