The other day, at lunch with two old friends,
I whined about the traffic—jamming life:
“At noon, twelve minutes just to drive the bend
Connecting freeway Ten with Four O Five.”
“I need two lights to cross the boulevard—
The left turn lane’s, too short to house the flow—“
Churned by stress, uncommon rage at retard
Development (a thousand new condos
With two cars each!) that further overwhelms
Our sorry streets, snuffs the animation
Cities feed upon. “Profit holds the helm—
Not sense, not style—steering to stagnation.”
“Choose alternative routes,” said Sam. I stare,
“Of course—alternative routes—but to where?”
Marvin Klotz (3/21/12)