Ode to the Peloton

Sweet rolling

order and chaos,

sinuous and shifting,

amorphous, flowing

over the road's shapes,

shelter from capricious

wind, my friend and foe.

Hive mind, move as one,

an agile flock in flight,

tuned to one's wing flick

and subtle vector.

My solace and my prison--

escape off the front,

fade away and die

off the back.

Mercurial as the wind

you split, fast then slow,

easy until it is not,

and again, brakes like

grabbing hands preface

the fire in tight sinew, burning

red pain betrayed only by

the slight whirr and whoosh.