As the street car persistently creaks…
The sun’s just beginning to rise on up.
People begin to get out of bed
and try to shake off that morning frump.
It yells “I’m comin get ready. Rise In Shine,”
and people begin to wait at that small yellow sign.
The morning rush starts with a flash
as all of the people start to whip out their cash.
Run faster, Run Faster there is plenty to do.
Folks are waitin and its only 7:32.
It sees people running,
dogs walking,
and cars going on driving.
Some wave,
but the brave try to pass through quick
for the streetcar’s coming and they can’t afford to stick.
The Morning has ended, and the Afternoon begins.
It still rolls around lending rides to friends.
It sees passed out frat boys lying on St. Charles,
who are hungover and beat up from their bar night brawls.
It sees the closed down Sanger,
that is forgotten and old.
It sees the people on the street left out in the cold.
Kids come home from school and parents from work.
In the last hours of the night, it is only the lights and the street car that lurk.
It begins to think about what it has seen in this city.
It has seen snow fall on Christmas day that makes the ugliest building pretty.
It has seen girls gather and sing to say goodbye in the park.
It has seen 6th graders at the JCC excited to be out after dark.
It has smelled the cooking coming from Camellia.
It has heard “Hey throw me something Mistah”.
It drives back to the station and parks itself with its friends.
It has had another great day in New Orleans.
Katie, age 16