September 03, 2011

What's The Hurry


What’s the hurry? 
By John R. Greenwood 
red car twisting
air born high 
with sudden stop 
of heart and breath 
tumbled mind 
lands hard
shaken and stirred 
a mother’s nightmare
played out in slow motion
slumped teen
scared straight 
but for a moment
eye contact too painful for him
thoughts swiftly shift
to a bloody friend left inside
no time to prepare 
for a loss of this kind




*As a part of my job one of my responsibilities is riding with my drivers and evaluating their work and driving performance. On this day in early September we happened upon the scene above. I clicked a few photos as we waited to be re-routed around the accident. I do not know the young man involved nor the outcome of the accident. We were told at the scene that there was indeed a passenger still in the vehicle at the time of these photos. 

15 comments:

  1. Oh, lord, John....this is so painful to read, so vivid, so sad!

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  2. Heartbreaking. I feel for the young man, It's a time in our lives when we feel immortal. until...

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  3. What a riveting and heart stopping scenerio. Your descriptions make it all come to life..too much so? Your writing is wonderful and the content heartbreaking.

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  4. Wow! Powerful stuff, John.

    Excellent reading too.

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  5. Cars can be so dangerous... up-side down is never good.

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  6. Your reaction to a scene repeated far too often is perfect. Your poem observes, analyzes, synthesizes. It is a well-written response to real challenge.

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  7. love it....superb writing.

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  8. Lives can be changed forever... so quickly.

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  9. Powerful poem and images. Very well done.

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  10. You vividly capture this horrific accident and the tear jerk tragic ending. Two lives are lost in this accident.

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  11. John,

    Such sad images, which could be from any of our home towns. Sometimes people think that they can live forever, without a price to be paid.

    Eileen

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  12. Thank you all for your comments. This piece is especially difficult as I am a NYS Defensive Driving Instructor.

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  13. How sad. People are in such a hurry to live their lives now, not just the young either. it's all hurry, hurry, hurry, get out of my way.
    Beautiful prose but what a sad subject.

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  14. Emotional read, powerful message, fabulous poem! Think I'll have my teenager read this. Blessings, Terri

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  15. Very powerful! I hope that the person(s) were all alright. Well written!

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