The Joy is in the Journey
A news response poem
I used to take the green line from Union Square to Wall Street, darting up and down the subway stairs, pushing through turnstiles, elbowing onto the train, jostling for a seat or a handhold, in such a hurry to get somewhere and back. I used to jump on Metro North from Grand Central to Bronxville, rushing, heels clicking on cement, racing to the tracks, onto the car, careening down the aisle, balancing bags as the train shook and swayed away from the station, lurching into a seat, pressing my forehead against the cool glass of the window, exhausted, watching the buildings flash by as we sped along, checking the clock, anxious about missing my stop, focused on my destination. Now, sometimes I long to ride up and down the rails, listening to the rhythmic rattling sound of the train, going nowhere in particular, looking out at the landscape, feeling the vibration of the cars radiating through me. Someday I will be a passenger, not a driver, enjoying the view, scenery unfolding, rolling, rolling down the tracks, a wanderer with no point of disembarkation, no no prearranged port of call, no need for terminus, accepting the joy in the journey, one way ticket in hand, slowly, happily riding to the end of the line.
THE NEWS STORY: This poem was inspired by a story in yesterday’s New York Times titled: “For South Korea’s Senior Subway Riders, the Joy is in the Journey.” In Seoul, the fare is free for those older than 65, so some retired people spend their days riding the trains as a way to pass the time and be out among others. But with the Seoul subway system in a deficit, the free fare for seniors has become a political issue.
I have always loved riding trains, but have always been focused on getting somewhere. What about you?
You can read the article here: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/22/world/asia/south-korea-seoul-subways-aging.html
I grew up riding the NY subway and taking the Jersey Transit bus and trains. To this day I love riding trains and have tried to take Amtrak. But they are so unpredictable and expensive for longer travel! If only we subsidized the trains in a way to make them a practical mode of transport in the country (outside the east coast). We would get significant numbers of cars off the road and allow people to be riders, not drivers.
No local trains in Omaha, but for years, there has been a push for one from Omaha to Lincoln. We do have Amtrak that I hope to use soon to Denver or Chicago. A new rapid transit bus comes every 10 min. along Dodge St. (Omaha's main east west route). It's a block from my home and I love to take it! Some of the seats are "bar height" so you can really see the view from a new angle.