Traffic

 Traffic


I awake at dawn

and drive east 

as the sun rises

into the blue sky

enclosed in a cocoon

shielding me from the cold wind

and the noisey turbulence

of my vehicle moving through air

ten times faster

than our ancestors could run

for very short distances

during most of human history


Some sea and air traffic 

reaches the city of Boston

on its coastal side

but most people and those they serve

cascade toward its skyline

from the north or west or south


Streams of cars

in orderly lanes

two or three or four

move side by side

diverging and converging

slowing down and speeding up

as orderly as a school of fish

a flock of birds

or a migrating herd



The gaps between the vehicles

increase and decrease predictably

in accordance with speed and safety

like springs loading and unloading

when viewed from above


Asphalt lines and curves and asymptotes

contrast with the natural meandering

of the rivers and streams

so apparent to us from the sky

now a familiar perspective for many of us 

from ten times higher 

than only a few of our ancestors

might have been able to climb to

during most of human history


I marvel at how well

we drivers are getting along

politely allowing the person

signaling appropriately

to change lanes

anticipating the gap necessary

for the safe passage

of one vehicle in front of another

the mutual respect necessary

to ensure safe journeys


In my solitude

I become keenly aware

that I am in the midst

of a sacred act

the profound cooperation which

enables us to function productively

in our space and time

in Darwin's cathedral


This is not a perfect  world


At the start of my little journey

while it was still quite dark

a driver behind me

insisted upon bright headlights

resulting in a merciless glare 

from my rearview mirror

for several minutes


Later the left rear end

of my vehicle

became dangerously close

to a pickup truck

operated by a belligerent driver

apparently taunting me for fun

finally allowing an imperative merge

enabling me to avoid the tunnel wall


We are all increasingly aware

of the death toll

from automobile accidents

and the effects of climate changes

as a result of pollution

generated by combustion engines

and the resulting atmospheric changes

occurring ten times faster

than our ancestors experienced

for most of human history

but it is neccessary 

for us to travel this way for now


It is clear that most of us 

can get along in traffic

most of the time


We are humans

whose large brains reflect

the evolutionary adaptations

enabling massive social intelligence

unencountered during millions of years

of complex life on this planet

before we arrived


Our behavior in traffic 

serves to remind us

of our extraordinary potential

to get along with each other

in order to survive



Aubrey Lieberman

3/21/22

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