Starting Old Blue
is a solid coax.

first, pat her
on the dash,

call her baby
as I turn the key,

give a little gas
and see,

too much and she
will surely flood,
not enough she stalls.

tap the pedal twice
and pray.

she rumbles
up a cloud from

the exhaust,
shakes like waking dog,

be patient,
wait,

sometimes the warmup
lasts all day.