Social Suicide by Private Wheels

I’m trapped in the noxious noise of the interstate
the nonstop 24/7 exhaust of carbon monoxide,
sulfur dioxide, particulates, and other gases
flowing like a river past my door, seeping into my pores
speeding us to climate and health catastrophes
I live with the hum of the rubber meeting the road
and shedding microplastics, heavy metals, and other toxins
that runs off the roadway, seeps into the earth, and pollutes waterways
I roll in my ride over the ragged roads, risking my life and the lives of others
hoping not to be one of the 40,000 fatalities each year
or among the 20 to 50 million injured annually
I pay dearly for the honor
of feeding, maintaining, and ensuring
my carcinogenic spewing carriage
And every now and again, I remember
to thank American individualism
and the market economy for the privilege of
owning private transportation that takes me
where I want to go whenever I want to go
And I say special prayers to science, technology,
and capitalism that made this all possible
I guess, most of all, I'm thankful
that I live in America were automobile
manufacturers and fossil fuel companies
bear no responsibility for the harm they cause
and we taxpayers have the golden opportunity
of helping make their shareholders richer
while we all make the world a more deadly place
God bless help us all