Eddie On His Way To Work 1960.

The bus was crowded 

but he found a seat 

next to a plump woman 

who smelt of fish. 

It was a cold morning 

and the pavements 

were white with frost 

and people outside 

walked carefully along. 

He lit a cigarette 

and his smoke joined 

other smoke in the air 

and it jostled 

with the movement 

of the bus. 

The bus stopped 

and people got off and on 

and the bus moved on again. 

The woman next to him 

stared out the window, 

her large bust 

pushed out 

her brown overcoat. 

The bus stopped again 

and other people got off 

and others got on 

and the bus moved on again. 

A female conductor 

gathered fares 

and gave out tickets 

from her machine. 

She smiled at Eddie 

and he smiled back 

he gave her the coins 

and she gave him a ticket 

and moved on past him. 

The morning sky was bright 

but at the same time dim.

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

The impression is that what is described is Eddie's usual routine, day in and day out. He and the other riders are trapped in a way of life that never varies. The female conductor just moves on by Eddie, like she usually does. I don't see things improving for him.