10-4 Magazine / August 2026 67 Poetry in Motion: By Trevor Hardwick OLD SCHOOL? Daddy, what does old school mean? The boy asked his ol’ man. While walking through the parking lot, Clinging to his hand. Well, he said, I guess it means, Whatever makes you feel... Nostalgic, as you’re jammin’ gears, And sittin’ at the wheel. You’re old school if you’ve got a hood, And old school if you don’t. Old school if you’ll lump a load, And old school if you won’t. You’re old school if you’re long and low, And old school, short and sweet. Old school in a Diamond T, And old school in a Pete. Tons of lights, or very few... It doesn’t matter, son. A shiny set of chimney stacks, Or rollin’ coal through one. A big chrome bumper, Texas style, Boltless, smooth and straight. Or a chunk of ten-inch channel, With a half-a-dozen plates. Painted letters on the tires, Or sweet and simple black. It’s old school if you’re doing somethin, From a few years back. You’re old school with the weathered look, Or old school fancy paint. Old school if you’re hammer-down, And old school if you ain’t. You’re old school with a twin-stick, Or an 18-speed schematic. But you dang-sure ain’t no old school, If you want an automatic. Son, I guess I’d have to say, It’s tricky to describe. Old school’s less about the look, And more about the vibe. I often hear a term thrown around when people are describing a truck that stands out from the normal cookie-cutter crowd. In an industry that has been in ltrated and polluted by boring, uninspiring, and yawn-inducing style, whenever something unique or attractive comes around, it’s often referred to as being “Old School.” I assume that is because things used to be made and styled with some character and individualism in mind. These days, the trucks and cars that dominate our roadways are predominantly ordinary. And it’s not even just the vehicles out there – it’s the architecture in our communities that have gone from artistic craftsmanship to contemporary cubes, with each one looking like a carbon copy of the next. I could go o on a tangent here, but I’ll attempt to reel it back in. I think we’ve lost the de nition of “old school” if there ever was one. To one person, it could mean having a truck with a long hood. To another, it means having no hood at all. For some people, old school could mean a behavioral or work ethic. And to others, it means rebelling against behavioral norms altogether. This poem is just something I came up with to highlight the juxtaposition of what it may mean to be “Old School” from di erent perspectives.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjA1MjUy