Yellow lights

This poem is about a guilty pleasure that a lot of New Yorkers go through. It’s something that a lot of New Yorkers and a lot of people that live in cities can relate to. I hope you enjoy.

Yellow is the burn of accelerating white walls. Catching them and saving them in a box that exist in your rearview mirror. Never to be spoken of only to be celebrated. Breaks that antilock rob us of screeching tires that remind us of bank robbery getaways. The streets are glossy shimmering like something out of a Scorsese movie then suddenly the cruiser we didn’t see behind us hits the whaler Blair, the lights, turning yellow into the shiver. I feel down my spine. He passes me as if to say that’s right, sir. I can turn you yellow anytime I please with obstacles blocking psyche, slowly removed and replaced, yellow becomes a promise. I make myself never to take that light again, but memories are short and people are stupid. Amarillo my mother replies when I ask how to say yellow in Spanish. And what does that mean to you? What do you mean what does it mean? It’s just a color to us yellow means to be cowardly or to be an old mad dog lying under a house dying. While to others yellow lights mean speeding up and beating the red just like all true New Yorkers do just don’t tell anybody.

Reviews

[Ayesha Faiz]

Wow this poem was really powerful. You made yellow feel like more than just a color. It became a feeling a memory and even a warning. I liked how it felt like a movie with fast cars police lights and shiny streets. The part about New York and how people race through yellow lights felt so real. You turned something simple into something deep and enjoyable. Great job!

[Sharrumkin]

Nice imagery. Heavily influenced by crime films.

[Matthew Daalling]

Thanks B, your so right about that. People reading red lights. And yes they are every where, you forgot people's windows lol if that makes sense. In ny event
Thanks for the comment and I put up a revised version of the poem. Thanks again
Sincerely, Matt.

[Betty Hermelee]

Being a true New Yorker, I can identify with YELLOW!!! I just spent 7 weeks in Manhattan and yellow lights are everywhere, cars,busses, trucks, street lamps, traffic lights, etc...and it can be very annoying....it doesn't mean you're a coward, or anything else... people run yellow lights all the time in the city....even red lights and block through traffic all the time.... I like you comments!!!
Warmly, B