by Brian Roach

The melody of metro life

rides on the summer night’s breeze:

speedy sirens whistle and wail

urgently alarming emergency somewhere;

cymbals clash and clang

banging around on the tracks;

a jackhammer maims pavement  
like a muffled machinegun firing at a drum; 

cranky horns honk in heavy traffic

to keep the busy streets in action;

the wind's easy conduction
erupts into a frenzy;
 

and from the balcony seats

someone begins to clap.