Scofflaw Poem by John Promise

In the first world
Standing at an intersection
In the driving rain
The lights were against us, but
No-one
Gapped it to the other side
We did not break the law
We simply stood, heads down.

In the third world
At an intersection
In the driving rain
(Taxis hooting and flashing, sound and colour and the clean driving rain)
The lights were against us, but
No-one
Stayed with heads down
We broke the law we
Dodged through the traffic we
Gapped it to the other side, and
No-one simply stood, heads down.
We always gapped it and I had one of those
Damascean moments when I realised there were smiles

In the first world, I don't remember seeing any smiles