There was a train during rush hour

I sat in traffic with everyone else, feeling sour

The stoplights at each block were red

One turned green

But none of us could move

We were tight in the street like sardines

The sky turned yellow-pink

I put the minivan in park

Took my foot off the brake

And started to think

My plantar fascia was grateful

I rubbed my left hand over my right trap

A knotted up rope

The car in front of me let out some smoke

The train chugged by

The guy on the motorcycle next to me caught my eye

The traffic lights blinked but none of us moved

The young mom in one car took the moment to snooze

I watched the sun set, wishing I could pull it back up

But in the van I sat stuck

It felt like the dream I’d had a few nights ago

I was pinched inside a car, nearly squished to death

I prayed the jaws of life could create breadth

There I was, with my reality echoing my dream

I heard a scream

There was a guy running between all the cars, heading toward the train

Another commuter yelled out, “He lost his brain!”

The man ran hard, faster than I’ve seen anyone run

He yelled, “I’m done!”

His motorcycle was left in my rear-view mirror

When I looked forward again the man had nearly disappeared

He was sprinting for that train

All the while yelling, “Things can’t stay the same!”

He jumped onto the last car

I got out of my van and looked

Me and several others were shook

The sun was getting low

All the red stoplights were like a sad Christmas tree

Seatbelts unclicked – all for hope of a better reality

I jogged toward the train

A few others were in tow

Where that train was going, we didn’t know

A short ride later

I landed at my office

The exhausted mom at a day care, surrounded by kids

The motorcyclist was a sailor – he ended up in the sea, surrounded by squids

The smoker arrived in a tobacco shop

That train we thought was our ticket

Had never really stopped

But we all faced reality

I took what light the sun in the sky gave me

Stretched a little

The tired mom found peace in the middle

The sailor sailed

The smoker realized he was jailed

But we each learned from the train

That we’re all in a round about way circling the drain

It’s up to each one

To make a change