.

Ned’s Bad Day

The gear that he intended was reverse,
But to his detriment, he put the car
In drive. At least he didn’t get too far;
And all in all, it could’ve been much worse.

The only other “victim” was a tree,
A pine that Ned had scraped along the side.
He’d peeled away some bark that was its hide,
While Ned complained about his aching knee.

The need to take his keys was evident.
They towed the car away—a crumpled mess.
Poor Ned, of course, was clearly in distress.
“That’s it!” his daughter said. The accident

Was not the first, but it would be the last—
Ned’s happy days of driving now have passed.

.

.

Cheryl Corey is a poet who lives in Connecticut. “Three Sisters,” her trio of poems about the sisters of Fate which were first published by the Society of Classical Poets, are featured in “Gods and Monsters,” an anthology of mythological poems (MacMillan Children’s Books, 2023).

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3 Responses

  1. Roy Eugene Peterson

    I can only wonder what inspiration triggered your poem about “Ned’s Bad Day.” It was simultaneously breathtaking, funny, and sad.

    Reply
    • Cheryl Corey

      Roy, this is based on a true incident at a senior/community center. Fortunately, he didn’t hit any other car or person. Sadly, it also affected his lady friend, who relied on him for transportation. She’s now having to rely on public transit, ubers, and the goodwill of friends.

      Reply
  2. Joseph S. Salemi

    A neatly composed sonnet, telling its story in clear and straightforward language. When a poem is primarily a narrative, this is the best choice.

    My father had a similar experience. He had been driving ever since his teenage years without any incident at all. But when he was 76, he had a very close call that could have been a major accident. The next day he gave his car keys to my brother and said “The car is yours. I may ask you to drive me places every so often, but I will never get behind the wheel again. I don’t trust my reflexes.”

    Reply

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