The Red Line

So many voices,

amidst the rumbling

of old wheels

on even older tracks,

as the Red Line races north,

bound for the suburbs.

The side-to-side sway of the car

lulls me into a stupor.

The voices persist,

growing louder,

increasingly shrill,

until my eyes

flutter

and I awake,

alone--

The conductor announces

the last stop

over the loud speaker,

and the train shudders

to a halt.

As new passengers board,

the voices convince me to stay;

so I add my quiet chuckle

to the chorus,

guaranteeing, at the least,

a seat to myself

for the ride south.