Bus Trip To No Particular Place Pt. I Poem by David Whalen

Pt I

Decided to go nowhere, yet cover great distances
Take a long time in arriving, to no one particular place
Experience other people’s ways of surviving
Experience their struggles, their unknowing grace

The bus trip started with no particular direction
It wasn’t my point to go from point A to Point B
The point was to get a feel for the face and complexion
Of my fellow travelers… across this asphaltic sea

A buzz cut young man, across the aisle, smiled and told me his story
Fresh out of high school and headed for camp Lejuene
Soon to be a proud Marine and bask in the glory
Yet fearing that combat and death could come soon

He transferred to another bus with a wistful smile and a wave
One could sense the reluctance of his leaving this place
Would destiny give him a bright future… or a dark grave?
But I didn’t begrudge him… his trip through this space

He was only the first person that I got to talk to and know
On my trip to nowhere…to no particular place
But my experience on this trip had barely begun to grow
My next would be that old lady staring out the window…into space