parada solicitada (stop requested)

everyone on this bus has paid a fare
the old drunk with nostrils like frying pans
the girl with braids her mother their bent knees
even the driver and his stick shift eyes!

everyone's got a bit of northeastern in 'em
the last-minute student the irritable tourist
the public school teacher underpaid by her adjective
the thumb print foreigner and the dressed-down clown

the man stuck in a woman's body the woman stuck
in a man's body the woman stuck in a woman's body
and the man stuck standing by the door

everyone's got their own bags to carry
everyone got on this bus somewhere
everyone's got to step down eventually and
walk the rest of the way home

© 2008 Courtney J. Campbell

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