A Traffic Poem

Those of you who know me or who have been following this blog probably know that I thoroughly enjoy the poetry of Billy Collins. Agata and I were lucky enough to get to hear him read and speak at the Paramount last week here in Austin. I used to write a lot of poetry when I was younger; I even took a year of creative writing classes in undergrad, but none of it was ever very good. I recently decided to try my hand again. So, inspired by Collins, here is my first. I was piqued by a certain traffic problem I encountered on the way to school this past Tuesday, when my school district failed to delay the start of school...

"A Recipe"
by Chad Gardner

The anonymity provided by the veil of windshields
slid away this morning like an electric window
whirring into hidden slots.

The bridge is closed, I said.
As he looked back over his shoulder I smiled and added,
That one is too.

There must have been a hundred of us
stranded strangers warmed by coffee and a sense of humor.
Yesterday we sped and weaved and cursed,
empathy filtered out by our polarized glass.
But this January morning nobody moved at all.

World Peace, a recipe:
freezing temperatures
a delayed sand truck
bridges.
Garnish with a light rain.