POEM - Traffic Trauma

Two days in a row

I tried to be clever

I was already running late

Figured a couple more minutes

Rush hour over

Smooth sailing

All the way home

It’s always worked before

I don’t know what happened

Maybe it is the change

To daylight standard time

Or the month of November

Or just the universe

Screwing with me

But my best laid plans

Went awry

Today was particularly fantastic

Five miles

On freeway!

Forty-five minutes!!

I almost pulled over

Jumped out of the car

Threw my hands in the air

And screamed, “I give!!”

Somewhere

Along the way

A memo

Went out

To all of the South

Probably a joke

From some Northern loyalist

Bent on sadistic revenge

Wherein it was written

That all events

On the side of the freeway

Regardless of

            Size,

            Location

Direction

Severity

Relevance

Safety

Existence

Constitutes

            No, in fact, demands

That all cars slow

To the lowest gear

Ride their brakes

And generally disregard

All attempts at ever getting anywhere

Maybe they all just know

By the way I carry myself

I have driven more sophisticated roads

Have survived the freeways of LA

Where unless the car

Is physically blocking the road

It is unwise to drop below 80

Ahh . . . the peaceful life

Eight lane highways

Aggressive drivers

And the comfort that everyone

In every single car

Wants to get somewhere

Just as bad as you do

And the speed limit

Is a suggestion starting point

Instead of an eventual possibility

And the smog laden air

Serves to deter

Any ill advised notions

Of leisurely drives

Through a city

Fully engaged

In the passionate throws

Of an eternal rush hour