Confessions of a One-Track Mind

I saw a poem a couple years ago, and I would've sworn I saved it, but can't find it now. The title was something along the lines of, "Prayer On a Day My Car Won't Start", and the narrator is praying for help with his car trouble, and says something like just send him one mechanically-inclined angel with a little grease on his wings (or maybe it was his feathers?), that's all he needs. I seem to remember from the comments on the post that the writer was a teacher by profession. It's rather appropriate for my current situation....

Anybody recognize this one? My Googleful is drawing a blank. I know I snagged it from somebody on my f'list, but that's a pretty broad catagory. I've posted this to whatwasthatone, but I'll take all the help I can get.



Found! among cbtreks' "poetry" tags:

Prayer on a Morning My Car Wouldn't Start

I sit behind the wheel
And finger the keys like a rosary.
Surely there is some prayer
That can move pistons.
If spirits slaughter germs,
Or bring about a sudden burst
Of hope or courage, even love,
Why not something simple, something
Closer to expedience? Why not dispatch
One lonely angel to caress my carburetor,
Fix my fanbelt, or unclog my fuel line,
Just one greasy-winged mechanic,
Inept at saving souls, but damned
Good at getting me on my way.

(by Jack Ridl)

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Source of The Hat: http://www.mrsongmillinery.com -- Aretha's hat was apparently a custom number, but they have similar styles. I haven't looked at the prices, just drooled over les chapeaus. Or is that chapeaux? Feh, I flunked beginning French, which I only took because I saw Papillion like, six times the previous summer.

( During the Inauguration, I also really loved the poem that was written and read by Elizabeth Alexander: )