A new poem by Tauranga poet Marcel Currin.

Why are we still arguing about this?

I’m not anti car
I’m anti narrow footpath.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti exhaust on my tongue and the trees.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti holding my breath so the bus doesn’t clip & flick me under its wheels.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti trusting a skinny ribbon of paint to be enough.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti car in my bike lane cracking my head and breaking my ribs.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti that’s what you get for being stupid enough to ride a bike in this city.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti dead metal machines getting all the best real estate.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti endless concrete slabs for cars to sleep on.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti islands of activity with no way in or out except by road.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti the kids can’t get there by themselves.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti driving the way we’ve always driven like the future is a future problem.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti lines of cars with one person in each, all of them grumpy at the bus.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti swapping EVs like vapes without finding better ways to use our streets.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti another lane will fix it.

I’m not anti car
I’m pro person.

I’m not anti car
I have one too.

I’m not anti car
I’m anti ignoring the future we’re all driving towards, numbly.

The Friday Poem is edited by Chris Tse. Submissions are currently closed.