Poetic Inquiry

A Bus Ride

M. Power

open the door

clunk clunk

the clattering of coins

the bus acknowledges this offering with a roar and a jolt

does it not know I've yet to find a seat?

or is it perhaps disgruntled today 

a sea of faces gathered together

and split apart 

silence

a lady is staring out the window

the adjacent free seat taken up by her bag

"do not disturb"

I sit next to a sleeping man

has he missed his stop?

or is he already at his destination

I wonder where these people are going

a young boy and his father sit quietly

returning home from a day on the city

or maybe on the way

people shuffle to gather their belongings

as their stop is approaching

they pull the string to let the bus know

let us out

they leave as they came

just a passenger in the life of a stranger

I look around for a familiar face

nobody looks back

they are all immersed in books

immersed in music

immersed in thought

immersed in thoughts of the future

of the past

where they're going

or where they came

the bus stops on the road

maybe it needs to catch a breath

I see a girl running towards us

the bus does not

I say nothing

she stomps her foot in frustration

I see my stop ahead

is it time to go already?

I hardly noticed

I hear a familiar clattering at the front

as I get out of my seat

the bus waits this time, though

as I step down the stairs

clunk clunk

close the door