That lonely bus

The vehicle leaves the docking bay it's lights beaming and changing color
out of the station and into the moist night charging ahead
Doors jarring on the corners, judder bars never ignoring us
The night all metal, concrete, hard plaster and plastic
Every wall graffiti stained and wet by the rain, we are thrown forward

Break lights send us into another dimension and leave our bodies behind
with each stop a new face a new grip and desperate search for a remaining seat
The inner light blinking at all of us together, alone

Changing gear and accelerating into narrow but empty avenues
curbs are ridden and passengers bob up and down like bottles on a tide
A missed stop and a yell calls down the corridor until the vehicle trembles into a stop
The city is a canvas on which random street walkers are painted
They dodge the bus as it hoons across their path just to wake them from their stupor

And still passengers sleep, heads bumping against the window
earphones in and exhaustion worn into their expressions
The inner light blinking into them, all of us together, alone