The Uber Ride Poem by Sumita Jetley

Mia rushed through her morning, a familiar haze,
Coffee in hand, lost in her maze.
Slides to review, a pitch to prepare,
Her mind raced ahead, she wasn't there.

The Uber arrived, she slid in her seat,
"Downtown, " she muttered, eyes on her sheet.
The driver nodded, silent and still,
And the car began to move with a will.

She typed and she scrolled, barely aware,
The city passed by, but she didn't care.
Until she glanced up, her heart skipped a beat,
The route was strange, unfamiliar streets.

"Excuse me, " she asked, leaning in tight,
"Is this the way? This doesn't feel right."
The driver just smiled, his voice soft and low,
"We're not going downtown, there's somewhere to go."

"What? " she snapped, her panic awake,
"This isn't the trip I needed to take! "
"Stop the car! " she demanded, voice fierce and loud,
The driver complied, his demeanor unbowed.

She stepped outside to a world surreal,
The air was hushed, the quiet unreal.
No people, no cars, just leaves in the breeze,
And golden light filtering through the trees.

"What is this place? " she whispered in awe,
The driver stepped out, no fear, no flaw.
"This, " he said, "is where moments rest,
The ones you rushed through, the ones you suppressed."

Mia froze, unsure whether to laugh or to cry,
As memories of haste began to rise.
"You've run so fast, you left time behind,
It waits for you here, to ease your mind."

He pointed to a bench by the side of the street,
"Sit for a while, let the stillness greet."
Reluctantly, she sat, her thoughts still a storm,
But slowly the quiet began to transform.

The sunlight felt warmer, her breath became deep,
The rustle of leaves sang her thoughts to sleep.
For the first time in years, she just was,
No phone, no work, no rush, no cause.

When she rose, she asked, "How do I return? "
The driver just smiled, his eyes did not churn.
"You've already found the way back, my dear.
Presence is the key—it's always been near."

She blinked, and suddenly, she was back in the car,
The buzz of the city, the hum from afar.
Her phone vibrated, but she let it be,
Watching the city unfold peacefully.

She breathed, she smiled, she let the world stay,
For now, she had learned to honor the day.