Poem by John Grey – The Loud Honk

THE LOUD HONK

Traffic near stalled.
The car in front of me
continued to occupy
the place I wanted to be
more than any other.
But, as the vehicle inched forward,
so did that place.

I could see the back of the head
of the woman driving.
It didn’t matter who she was,
what she looked like
or whether her personality
was frothy beer or iced tea.
I couldn’t tell if it
was her selfishness,
or just plain luck,
that saw her edge by
Greg’s liquor store
moments ahead of me.
or stop for some guy
in the crosswalk
when that was a role
I could only see myself in.

I finally pressed my finger
on the horn
because I wanted her to know
that, though she was already
crossing Elm street 
and it looked like
I wouldn’t make the light,
that tomorrow could well
be a different story.

That was the sound you all heard.
Not my impatience.
My ultimate vindication.

BIO: John Grey is an Australian poet, US resident, recently published in Penumbra, Poetry Salzburg Review and Hollins Critic. His latest books, “Leaves On Pages” and “Memory Outside The Head” are available through Amazon. He has work upcoming in Lana Turner and International Poetry Review.