Subway Crunching
There is a man
flexing
his chest muscles
in repeated jolts
for the entire journey.
I guess it’s an effective workout,
because his pectorals are enormous.
Maybe I’ll try it.
Sudoku Haiku
A guy and a girl
seated next to each other.
They’re not together
but the guy gives her
advice on her sudoku.
She does not respond.
It’s a numbers game.
ABC
The train driver
said that
you can change
here
for the first three
letters of the alphabet.
That was pretty
funny.
Seemed like a nice guy.
But then he closed the door
on my foot.
Given the Finger
Riders, when they start the daily commute,
should do all they can to avoid one brute,
Whose actions to me were very uncouth:
he pushed his finger right into my mouth,
And left me wondering what fault was mine,
when I realized that I was under a sign.
It bore large print and loudly suggested
that all riders should ride unmolested.
Such sign-flaunters should be escaped posthaste,
lest you, too, sample their unpleasant taste.
Self Reflection
A man walks down the subway car
holding a full length mirror.
Showing all the people
who are sitting down
what they look like.
An art project?
Or is he showing me
that I’m looking
a bit too dishevelled
to be going to work?
Crosstown Acrostic
The student sitting in front of me on the M79 bus
Responds to an e-mail from
A professor
Including unnecessary personal details and
Numerous spelling errors.
I have a
Strong impulse to
Broach the topic and
Explain
That her professor doesn’t want
To know about her roommate’s breakup
Especially when it’s
“Ritten from your iPhone.”
#OverheardOnTheTrain
“I love Instagram.”
“Shall I take a selfie of you?”
“ ‘Twilight’ is, like, the modern ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ ”
The Surprise Express
Welcome to New York!
The tourists’ faces
fall
as they realize
they are on the express
A train,
which does not stop between
Fifty-ninth Street
and
125th Street.
To be fair,
subway announcements
are incomprehensible
even to English speakers.
Also, Harlem is a great place—
you’d do well to get out of midtown.
