The bus moves
through the concrete veins
of the city,
picking up hostile passengers.
Characters of a different sort,
legends in their own environments.

It glides past the movie houses
crack houses
whore houses
and old victorian houses
surrounding the heart of it all.

Listen to the wheels
cracking bottles in its path.

Urban chimes for some,
terrifying screeches for others.

You may think you know
where you're going
and that your being taken there
safely
but next time you sit down
calmly
next to the old lady with the twitch
I suggest you count
your lucky stars.