After Ayrton Senna
here and now, i chant the only mantra i know,
i would cross seven seas behind you.
like a candle lit for a séance, the car starts.
i spin the world around in my hands.
reverse gear – in the mirrors, dreams refuse to meet my eyes.
i feel the engine oil in my ribs – it needs changing.
metal brother, hold me close – we are all that is left of each other.
through the downpour, i drive under the stent holding open the street.
there are raindrops on my cheek – the windshield wipers can’t wash them away.
if there’s magic in these pedals, let it spin the odometer back.
in the tunnel, going going going – i cross the conscious behind you.
but in the end, the light shows me
nothing ahead but road.
Aarushi Gupta is a nineteen-year-old from Bangalore, India. Her work has been recognized by Elan, Roanoke Review and the Lewis Center for the Arts. She is an alumna of the Iowa Young Writers Studio. You can find her writing at aarushiwrites.com