Maren Tirabassi

Americans Anonymous

I admit that I am powerless over gasoline
and my life has become unmanageable.
I believe that there are Powers greater
than I am —
thirsty Powers, drunken Powers —
and that I have turned my will and my life over to
Mobil as I understand it.

I make a searching and fearless inventory
and I admit
to Exxon, to myself, to anyone willing to listen —
I want to drive and not to bike ...
or hike ... or bus,
I want to drive fast and often
and for short distances,
I want the goods and the road trips
and the big car and the cheap gas
that the rest of the world has not had
for a long, long time.

I can no longer take — even twelve steps.

These are the only amends I make —
though I say I am not willing to pay the cost,
I am willing to pay the cost,
any cost,
as long as I don’t have to give it up —
even one day at a time.

—Maren Tirabassi

© 2008

jbf@fergus.com
Revised 3/27/2008