Buses and Train Rides

Buses and Train Rides

It's that stillness of the movement

That rush of colors

And a pause of our time

As the world passes by

A moment of contemplation 

A conscious daydream

Or a moment of nothing

That's when you see the world

At a time of helpless pausing

Familiar sights, same buildings

Take notice, the subtle changes

In the scenery and time passing

You wait for your approaching 

To a repeating destination 

Day in and out

Thus is my life

Thus is my routine

02.19.2019

This was a quickly scribbled poem I did while I was on the bus on my way to my restaurant. Ironically it's no longer my routine for a few years now, but on this particular day I needed to go and check on the store and thus came in that creative spur that took me back years ago when I was still working and needed to waste 1-2 hours of travel time to get to and fro my office. This was a cycle that for the first few years seemed bearable until I realized it's no longer worth wasting my time over five days a week, and so I broke the cycle by quitting my  job. I haven't looked back since...except maybe a few minutes a year, just to realize how toxic my life was. Unfortunately, this is still the case for most commuters, to sit through hours of traffic instead of doing something more productive. Although there are days when it's unavoidable, to have to put your life on pause, it's so empowering to have that control over your time without you risking another memo or salary deduction. 

P.S.

I know...that's a photo of the view you see when riding in front seat of a jeepney while the title of my poem doesn't include the jeepeny... I no longer ride buses and trains as much as I once did.