Monday, June 30, 2008

Queen Car

Crowded streetcar
Too late for morning rush hour.
Elderly couple board.
Each seems to need help
As they hand each other
Up steps, pay fares
Move carefully to seats

Reserved for aged
Or handicapped.
They chat comfortably.

A few stops later
Second couple boards:
Elderly, but less.
No help needed...
Except info from driver.
They are tourists.
Map in hand,
Man asks if we're headed
For Yonge Street.
He stumbles on pronounciation,
Unsure. Driver confims
Both pronounciation
And destination.
Then they discuss fares.
Couple seat themselves
Behind driver to search
Coin purses for exact change.
As they peer at unfamiliar
Currency, woman of first couple
Says, here take these tickets.
You'll save a lot of money
Instead of paying cash.
Second couple look up
In confusion, then
As woman reassures,
They accept with grace.

Bette
Toronto
2008

Same Day, Same Queen Car

I sit not reading
Because I'm enjoying
Warm glow from
One couple's kindness
To the other.

Idly, I stare out window.
We stop at red light.
People cross in front.
One of them is
Very large woman:
Neatly dressed,
But there's no hiding
Her size.
She uses cane deftly.
I wonder if her size
Is cause or effect.

As she approaches
Sidewalk, light changes.
Woman with cane
Pivots to cross
Other way.
She notices errant
Discarded drink box
At edge of sidewalk
Where it might block
Or cause misstep
To next pedestrian.

Without missing step
She wields cane
In gentle poke...
Moves offending box
To place where it
Won't blow away...
To place where it
Will be accessible to trash collector...
To place where it
Can't be a risk to
Anyone.
Bette
Toronto
2008