The Highway - Poem about travellers and modern society

A poem I was inspired to write when sitting in Starbucks between lectures....

The Highway​

​

Manufactured faces, factory-line expressions, cast

Their gazes, averting eyes from strangers,

Transfer money, gulp their cups of caffeine,

Back to work. Cycle repeat.

It’s the modern way.



But from Avebury down to Glastonbury,

On the turnpikes and in the fields,

From the festivals and all-night raves, to the circles

At the stones; they looked for another life,

Stuck two fingers up to Starbucks,

And chose, not your way, but the highway!



Now you criminalize communities, travellers

Ain’t welcome, beat them on the Beanfield,

Tell us property’s not theft; well

Why do I feel robbed?

Criminal Justice? Where’s the justice?

Justice for the criminals in the Commons,

And your coffee-house bourgeoisie -

Is it a crime to want to LIVE?



I see the way you live -

Manufactured faces, factory-line expressions;

Imagination cannot be moulded!

Avert your eyes from strangers,

You stand alone.

Transfer money, capitalism running on coffee,

Your stock exchanges spin in circles,

I’m getting dizzy -

Let me off!

LET ME LIVE!



I’ll take the highway…

 

wow sal, after reading that twice i think thats one of your best.
there's a very, uneasy feeling in the first stanza as if i AM one of the people averting my eyes from people I don't know, hiding behind the newspaper etc...

i like the continuing links with coffee, and the comments on businesspeople, capitalism and consumerism all hit home with me. nice one dude, another great work. I hope a lot of people read it. *hugs*
Jaz

 

Shit Sal... I like this poem lots...


Really my kinda thing

Very natural sounding and punchy...

 

Nice one, i like it.. its smooth and i really got great imagry off it.. really good!

 

i liked the emotion in it! its obviously summa tyou feel srtrongly about and it shows....lovely...i love it...really gets a point across...
Roly.xxx

 

that's a damn fine poem

~

 

Thanks for the comments guys, I really appreciate them. I've sent this poem into a small poetry journal, along with Paki in the Middle, fingers crossed on that one....

 

This is a great poem! Very spoken word like...

I've been thinking about these things a lot lately, this was a good thing to read. I shall print it out and pin it on my wall.

 

Sal your a literary god to us all.


As my attempt on here didn't get a single post...

nuff said, your poem really is good i mean it.

 

The poem's up on Counter Blasts now. Still got my fingers crossed for the poetry journal, but have got it into Jesus' arts magazine


http://www.socialistunitynetwork.co.uk/counter/highway.htm