RANDOM ACTS of POETRY:
Best Read with Coffee or Tea

A week of my life in two carry-on bags
One stuffed firm and the other one sags.
Tired of the hustle and the bustle of the masses
The highway is crammed, going slower than molasses.

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Five lanes wide does the traffic flow
Gotta catch a big plane, 11 miles to go.
Brake lights flashin’ far and wide
Got my gold rimmed aviators to shade my eyes.

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Make a turn, now arriving at the terminal lot
Push a button at the gate, grab a ticket from the slot.
Parked the car up a floor in a crowded space
Take a picture of the scene to remember the place.

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One bag on top, the other with mini-wheels
A long walk ahead, the soreness my knee feels.
There’s an escalator – I carefully climb aboard
It takes me to departures on the very next floor.

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I can skip the waiting line – gonna go real fast
I used an app to check-in, got my boarding pass.
Mosey to the right to get on my way
There’s a serpentine of people at the TSA.

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Traveling’s a pain – just a hurry-and-wait
Got scanned at the checkpoint, heading to my gate.
Make a bathroom stop, just in case
Can’t take a chance in this rat race.

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Almost to the gate when I hear the sound
The gate number’s changed, gotta – turn around.
Pull my bags by my side, got a coffee on the way,
There’s a beep on my phone, it’s a flight delay.

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Well isn’t that nice, what can I say?
Just another hiccup on a busy day.
The steward said “I’m really sorry for the wait.
But your plane has just arrived, it’s coming to our gate.”

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Then the steward said “Please grab a green tag.
There’s no room above for a second bag.”
So, I grabbed a tag and did what they said.
“I wonder what is next?” running through my head.

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The plane taxied down the runway – gaining speed.
I pulled out my tablet and began to read
My book of the day to escape this life
The altitude increasing cutting air like a knife.

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And just that things seem to be going well
There are two more things I have to tell
A complimentary coffee is the drink I take
A pocket of turbulence gives the plane the shakes.

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I spill the coffee on my lap you see.
Not much I can do about my scalded knee.
I close my eyes and begin to pray,
God please take over and guide the way.

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Finally, we land and pull into our gate.
There’s a problem with the door and we have to wait.
15 minutes go by before they open the door.
I really don’t desire to fly anymore.

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A week of my life in two carry-on bags
One stuffed firm and the other one sags.
But the firm one is still on the plane.
Gotta wait a little more to end this game.

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I hope you’ve learned life can go awry
All you can do is take it in stride
As best you can and you will see.
Traveling’s not what it’s cracked up to be.

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