An Ode to the Family SUV

An Ode to the Family SUV
D. Lechner, Oct 2021

Although it cannot walk or talk,
it was still a member of the family.
It went on all the special trips,
with us, our reliable old SUV.

It drove back and forth with you to work,
each morning and evening route.
It listened to your tunes, or NPR with you,
as your did your daily commute,
And always let you choose the station,
never forcing its own recommendation.

It took the kids to practices,
and each weekend tournament.
And even to get cones of ice creams
after a win or a loss, without a comment.

In summertime it wore the swim team colors,
in ribbons or painted bubbles…
And drove everyone to the lake or beach,
family vacation weeks, from work out of reach.

It played Rusted Root’s “On the Way”,
taking friends to a bayside cottage stay.
To help paint the porch and stair,
before they learned to sail, on summertime air.

It carried the son’s friends to the shore was well,
While classic rock on the teen’s ears fell,
The coolers and volleyballs were all packed,
for post-finals week parties, before heading back.

It played Sleepy Head by Passion Pit,
for one last child’s friends, on their beach trip.
Heading east once again for a weekend of sun,
with friends on windy sand, all having fun.

It carried the family dog home a long way,
from the farm down in VA.
Then to each Vet visit and hikes in the park,
then one sad last trip later, in the dark.

For projects for work, Dad drove with hope,
packed with equipment and buoys and rope.
Measuring sound and how far it would go,
along the east coast, in the sunshine or the snow.

We drove it together to look at schools,
the I-95 tour, that so many families do.
Then to each drop-off, with the students dorm stuff,
each long drive home after, for parents, was tough.

It taught the children how to drive,
in the local parking lot and stay alive.
Then helped them spread their wings and to go,
and while parents stayed up waiting, brought them safely home.

Three hundred and eighty thousand miles, said the odometer had went,
(That’s about twelve thousand hours together spent).
About the same time as 6 years together,
spent driving on trips in all sorts of weather.

Less used, and needing some work now,
Suddenly cleaned up, and all emptied out
Now sitting forlorn and alone on the driveway,
waiting for a potential buyer to drive it away.

Doing its best to look ready to meet,
a new family to carry, in rain or in sleet.
But still bearing the traces of so many years,
Spent with its first family, its brother and sisters,
Reliably piloting thousands of miles,
carrying them through both the tears and their smiles.

If cars could talk, it would tell of a story,
of how it transported them all happily.
For nothing compares with this friend for a journey,
A great traveling companion, the family SUV