the fast track

here it goes again: the speeding whirring rocking rolling of the fast track.
motors and wheels? we ain't got no motors and wheels, son, where you been?
what we have here, i said, what's here is love and struggle and happiness
degradation power tears laughter heart soul mind and body,
the essence of life and everything, boy! you and me, we're brothers,
on the fast track we're brothers; we breathe the same exhaust
smell the same rubber, push the same pedal.
one of us will come out on top, or else we'll get burnt out,
left behind with the boys, you hear me? you ain't a boy, are ya?
i ain't, and that's the only thing you can be sure of, i suppose
that and the asphalt, the asphalt like a wild river of crushed bone
grinds your eyes your teeth your nails your smile your spirit
'till it's all pulp! but being pulp ain't so bad, at first.
no, it's the being scrubbed off the road like you're, you know,
vomit. like you're the vomit even the dog won't lick up. hey, i'll tell ya,
that sucks the big one, it sure does. but, hey, hear me out, listen up:
you can be pulp or you can be the champ, cross the finish line
sweaty shaky scared-as-hell, a wreck, i'm talking titanic-caliber
and then you kiss the girls drink the champagne take the trophy
kiss it kiss it mwah tastes good, don't it? see your mouth watering, boy,
you want to taste gold much as i do, but see here,
i am that man.
i've won it all six times over and here's the secret:
you can't win. you'll taste gold, sure, you'll taste it till there's
flakes in your teeth but the game's rigged, see, it's fixed,
once you win they take the trophy smash it burn it melt it
throw your right back to the pigs. hear me, boy, i said, you hear me?
you're on the fast track and you can never get off
nothing between you and the asphalt but
four rubber wheels and your pretty skin.
hear that? that dirge? that's the signal, kid.
start your engine.