City of Cabs
I.
You open the door and
Sit in the seat of
The beat-up yellow cab.
You wave your hand
Then name a street
To the driver dressed in drab
Dirt-smeared clothing and
Who couldn't care less about
You or where you are going
In this, the City of Cabs.
And where are you going,
You tired drunken fool,
With only a gas-driven hack
To carry you back
To the days when you were cool?
A moment's acceleration --
Honking of a hundred horns --
Now you're stopped at a red light
In the rush hour congregation.
One more chance to mourn the
Coming of the night in
Silent frustration
(an agony daily born
with the dying of the light).
One more night to ponder
The words etched upon your slab
One more night to wonder,
"What is this city of cabs?"
II.
Well now, City of Cabs,
Explain yourself to me.
Why have you turned my life
Into boring fantasy?
What happened to those
Joy-rides of seeming eternity with
No end in sight but ecstasy?
And those non-stop neon nights,
Were they just a dream
Obscuring the fact that my
Coffee had no cream
Or sugar and my bed just
Me and no adoring lover?
Well now city of cabs,
Start your story rolling
You've got but a little time
Your charisma is failing.
III.
Romantic ideation --
Unrequited infatuation --
Spawned the birth of a nation;
Spawned me, the City of Cabs.
I'm a dreamer's confusions,
Lover's illusions, multiple
Contusions on the face of reality --
My audacity leaves no room for pity.
Yes, I am just a city, but
I'm more than you, so
Stop your brooding, riding
And thinking -- commence
To drinking and accept me
Without a story. I need time
To bask in my glory.
So sayeth the City of Cabs.
IV.
The old cabbie cast a glance over his shoulder at
The frowning me, then
Swigged on his bottle
And let loose a chortle
Of absolute glee.
"whassamatta boy, doncha see?
Doncha see, nevah wuz a city so
Fullah honesty!
He coulda fooled ya wit brighta lights,
Drunkah wimmen and fastah nights,
'stead he tole ya like it is,
so's ya could go 'bout ya bizness,
and he'd go 'bout his!"
The the old man laughed to choking
And could say no more. I effected the
Opening of the grimy passenger door.
As I exited, he sat there grinning
And pointed to the meter still running.
"I'll see y'again." Sniggered the hack.
Without a reply I tossed him a greenback,
Then stood on the street and gazed about --
Started walking -- my mouth open to shout:
"Night don't smirk at me,
Not in this city,
This God-forsaken City of Cabs!"
wigsampy
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