city of motors

three times dark

first in the mind

second on java street

the dead car there

the hood blown out with a bb gun

manuela said she saw the brakes fail

manuela said she saw the brakes fail

an empty body

but it still bled

oil from the axle

and it left a trail

ran down java street

and formed a pool

manuela saw the moon in there

manuela saw the moon in there

and i hear it rumbling

i hear transmission grind

i bear witness. i have the clutch now

three times darker on the rooftops

man jumps between and grabs the rail

man tries the door but the door is locked

man gouge the hinge and goes down the stairs

man gouge the hinge and goes down the stairs

dull bright morning and the tools are gone

detectives with flashlights in the elevator shaft

manuela tells detectives she saw him there

stuck in the hinge is a sliver of a fingernail

stuck in the hinge is a sliver of a fingernail

and i hear it rumbling

i hear transmission grind

i bear witness. i have the clutch now

three times dark on the turnpike

from the motor city to the city of dis

they traced his travel by his credit card

no sleep

smokes

and he's nauseous

no sleep

smokes

and he's nauseous

flips an ash like a wild

loose comma

ash hits the oil around the pump

travels to the pump and the pump explodes

witness says he saw the car jump

witness says he saw the car jump

and i hear it rumbling

i hear transmission grind

i bear witness. i have the clutch now