It was indeed unusual to meet a road-worker with such commitment to his job. Fortunately I was not in a hurry at the time...
ROADWORKER WITH SIGN
He stood to stiff and starched attention
slap in the center of the road -
gripping his red STOP sign like a spear.
I halted obediently as he barked into his walkie talkie
with the all bluff and bluster of a sergeant major.
His striped yellow vest blazed in the setting sun.
His boots spat dust as he paced back and forth
peering suspiciously down the road behind him -
like Maxwell Smart on a mission.
An ambulance pulled up at the adjacent intersection.
He waved it in front of the rest of us
with the supercilious pomp of a Jeeves.
For many minutes nothing happened,
then suddenly he nodded (to no one in particular)
and reversed his sign to SLOW.
I smiled and waved politely
as I touched the accelerator.
He ignored my salute.
erik99
The final line is the icing on the cake of a lovely satire.
The final line is the icing on the cake of a lovely satire.
Dorothy A. Holmes apwlts2
So you have met him too...Ha!...Men in charge tend to behave this way in yellow vest or not...Love it! Dorothy
So you have met him too...Ha!...Men in charge tend to behave this way in yellow vest or not...Love it! Dorothy
Susan Jarvis
Alison, this is hilarious!! Only you could conjure such a vivid caricature - the best since Dickens!! :)
Alison, this is hilarious!! Only you could conjure such a vivid caricature - the best since Dickens!! :)
Shashendra Amalshan
I was thoroughly amused and entertained by this poem Allie, lol, another poem where you bring characters to life and make them dance in the reader's mind's eye. Specially liked the part where he paced back and forth like Max Smart on a mission.. Nice one!! :) /// love/shan!!
I was thoroughly amused and entertained by this poem Allie, lol, another poem where you bring characters to life and make them dance in the reader's mind's eye. Specially liked the part where he paced back and forth like Max Smart on a mission.. Nice one!! :) /// love/shan!!
Don
Wow! No matter where we are on the planet, some images and natures are the same. Power corrupts...absolute power corrupts absolutely. (o; Your roadworker was only a little corrupted with power to stop traffic and to let it flow.... I am still smiling.
Wow! No matter where we are on the planet, some images and natures are the same. Power corrupts...absolute power corrupts absolutely. (o; Your roadworker was only a little corrupted with power to stop traffic and to let it flow.... I am still smiling.
Munia Khan
A very rare and interesting theme for this wonderful write Allie.Very nicely done a creative piece.His boots spat dust as he paced back and forth peering suspiciously down the road behind him ...This is great Allie..Great work.
A very rare and interesting theme for this wonderful write Allie.Very nicely done a creative piece.His boots spat dust as he paced back and forth peering suspiciously down the road behind him ...This is great Allie..Great work.
Karin Anderson
A great poem Alison where you have defined his pomp and ceremony of a sergeant major with staccato brilliance. You have a wonderful eye for detail and for bringing your characters right into my study. I love how you use capitols SLOW from he-who-should-be-obeyed! (lol). I am still laughing God love you~~~
A great poem Alison where you have defined his pomp and ceremony of a sergeant major with staccato brilliance. You have a wonderful eye for detail and for bringing your characters right into my study. I love how you use capitols SLOW from he-who-should-be-obeyed! (lol). I am still laughing God love you~~~
nimal dunuhinga
Alison you're so generous and he is not a soldier, That's why he didn't salute you but don't worry, he realized by your smile that you're a kind Mother! [BRECHT'S THE GOOD WOMAN OF SETSUAN] ...........My salutation Alison!
Alison you're so generous and he is not a soldier, That's why he didn't salute you but don't worry, he realized by your smile that you're a kind Mother! [BRECHT'S THE GOOD WOMAN OF SETSUAN] ...........My salutation Alison!
seema chowdhury
very interesting topic to write about.
very interesting topic to write about.
Raj Arumugam
I'm completely with you on this...Yes, I've seen quite a number of these 'fully-on', dedicated people and I'm glad they've finally got their recognition through this poem...and I recognize that emotion in that final line: He ignored my salute...I wish some of our friends here at poetfreak will offer us such portraits of people from their various countries...
I'm completely with you on this...Yes, I've seen quite a number of these 'fully-on', dedicated people and I'm glad they've finally got their recognition through this poem...and I recognize that emotion in that final line: He ignored my salute...I wish some of our friends here at poetfreak will offer us such portraits of people from their various countries...
humanwoman
give a man a position and he is a king. The poem is a beauty, so vivid in tiny details, you feel being there
give a man a position and he is a king. The poem is a beauty, so vivid in tiny details, you feel being there
sathyanarayana
I really admire........for not ignoring a road worker....a true poet keeps his/her eyes open to beauty of miliau of world and mind as well.
I really admire........for not ignoring a road worker....a true poet keeps his/her eyes open to beauty of miliau of world and mind as well.
Sandra Martyres
'with the supercilious pomp of a Jeeves" Love this description.....As always Allie you pick up am ordinary situation and make a delightful poem out of it...That is talent!!
'with the supercilious pomp of a Jeeves" Love this description.....As always Allie you pick up am ordinary situation and make a delightful poem out of it...That is talent!!
eleanor prince
Good to be thoroughly involved with whatever you are doing. And some do not seem to need an especially brilliant job to achieve this state of mind. I like the way you have captured this scene for us to enjoy.
Good to be thoroughly involved with whatever you are doing. And some do not seem to need an especially brilliant job to achieve this state of mind. I like the way you have captured this scene for us to enjoy.
PrEmJi PrEmJi
Allie, he has those boots... but imagine the women working for contractors to lay bitumin without boots or a pair of chappals.. they are there in every third world... if you speed up your vehicles, their burden double...
Allie, he has those boots... but imagine the women working for contractors to lay bitumin without boots or a pair of chappals.. they are there in every third world... if you speed up your vehicles, their burden double...
Fay Slimm
Moments have the habit of becoming sublime under your gaze dear Allie and this is certainly no exception. A uniformed master of all he surveyed, this roadman's boots caught my eye as they spat dust through your pen and once again you have woven a lasting image with ease. Perceptive indeed.
Moments have the habit of becoming sublime under your gaze dear Allie and this is certainly no exception. A uniformed master of all he surveyed, this roadman's boots caught my eye as they spat dust through your pen and once again you have woven a lasting image with ease. Perceptive indeed.
Frank James Ryan Jr./FjR
Well,lassie....It certainly is about time that this Town that has offered us all titillating Town-Tell-Tales tall & teasing....pulsed & pleasing... Has finally decided to fix them ther' roadzzz ! Sterling work Ms. Cassidy...whom i have not seen nor heard from in (seemingly) eons !Good 2 see u freaking-out on your early Saturday evening! FjR
Well,lassie....It certainly is about time that this Town that has offered us all titillating Town-Tell-Tales tall & teasing....pulsed & pleasing... Has finally decided to fix them ther' roadzzz ! Sterling work Ms. Cassidy...whom i have not seen nor heard from in (seemingly) eons !Good 2 see u freaking-out on your early Saturday evening! FjR
T A Ramesh
Most difficult job they do under the hot Sun pouring hot tar and small rocks to pave road for all go fast in the modern world! Hats off to them and to your nice reminder of them here!
Most difficult job they do under the hot Sun pouring hot tar and small rocks to pave road for all go fast in the modern world! Hats off to them and to your nice reminder of them here!
i read this again with enthusiasm knowing you as an observant person and very keen on what's going on in everyday life and happenings... I really love how you penned this..I will never forget this.