A Poem from the Kernal- 930 MPG

We have been blessed with some great poetry by the Bike Temple's very own Moses, aka Kernal Loose Nut.  We will be sharing them with you from time to time.  Here is the first in a series, entitled "930 MPG"

Total of the world’s monarch butterfly population froze to death by '97 freak Mexican snowstorm: 17%.

Size of the ozone hole over Antarctica that year: 10,000,000 sq. miles.

Distance a human can bicycle on the food-energy-equivalent of a gallon of petrol: 930 Miles Per Gallon

 

The Oregonian 27 April 1997

 

 930 Miles Per Gallon

 

Desire for bike streets is causing me to see red.

i said to Fred:            “i’d give my blood."

To Kenneth, i say-eth:           “i am ready to take

A bridge         as our hostage."

Which got up Ira’s ire,

but i challenged us to risk

Facing up to transportation injustice.

 

All rated second class,

We’re indignant cyclist.

The laws are unjust by design,

Ever putting life and limb on the line.

Indigence growing into intolerance,

We refuse this bike lane dance.

Take that meager six inch strip of paint,

and, well, shove it where the sun ain’t.

 

We’re done with that compromise.

We don’t believe the bullcrap lies...

Decry with your mouth love for the bicycle,

But that affair with petrol, you’re just a gigolo.

All you build is more car parks and highways,

A few miles of "bike lane" as you widen every byway.

 

We’re tired of this shit, we ain’t gonna take it,

Give us the dignity of our self responsibility.

Cyclist, see another scene:

Transportation           Separation

Apart from the death machine.

This petrol addiction is killing all that we love,

Green things, 2 legs, 4 legs, swimmers below, and winged above.

 

We don’t seek to deny the privilege to drive,

But fair share of the road,  you’d better give.

Or you’ll have us to thank,

For the candy bar in your tank.

 

If you refuse our demand,

To implement a BIKE STREETS plan,

There’ll be a riot at hand!

We’ll only get louder.

If it’s a hostel take over,

We’ll extradite you and your car

To somewheres in Antarcticar.

 

Under an ozone hole millions in square mile,

You can live and drive in high style.

But instead;

Let’s all stick together,

The change to weather:

Seven percent

                        Of the pavement.