on the subway

usually I look down
staring my shoes into nowhere
the haze of routine
blurring one foot into another

sometimes I watch faces
eyes traversing rows of text
lips conversing
business straight
pleasure slow
arms and legs crossing
nudging and adjusting
a mother’s grip loves
its curious child
a lover’s elbow
hooks its warm companion

bags and books litter
fingers, floor and shoulders
I’ve started looking at it all
and I don’t know why

close the doors
speak the routine
turn off my senses
humid bodies
soprano perfume
icy steel in grasp
arouse nothing, unfeeling
screams of pain
screeching friction
layering waves of conversation
crash in deaf ears
blind routine

today I looked up
past the faces
numb to the smells
deaf to the elbows
blind to the chill
and I saw my tunnel
hurtling in empty black opacity
suspended, floating
inexorable growls
of movement consuming me
never ceasing speed
alone amidst faces
unable to progress
except with my tunnel
eternal black outside
faster, narrowing faster
directionless fury into infinite space
I rise from the floor
free falling in sync
weightless tunnel of time
burrowing

SCREECH!! high-pitched squeal
movement and lights
I have my own motion
I have a soul
but I cannot look down

the tunnel is coming
and the steel shivers my grip
a cacophony of odors
assaults my nostrils
faces sharpen and eyes glisten
tongue roams for seeds of flavor
daughters laugh
and feet rhythm the hollow floors
sensual symphony reborn

TSSSSS! the doors hiss
and I am staring straight ahead