“What the Fuck, Meridian Street?” by Dan Grossman

What the Fuck, Meridian Street?

I’m driving south on Meridian Street,
crossing the 86th St. intersection,
when the storm begins.
As branches, leaves and rocks
ricochet through the air, fat raindrops
hit my windshield like mortar
rounds. But that’s not all;
on each side of Meridian’s meridian 
I see pairs of double yellow lines. 

I wonder for a moment if I have double vision. 
I wonder for a moment if the end is nigh
but because there are orange cones 
everywhere, I figure there must be 
some kind of road improvement 
going on. But how is it that a Prius 
is now turning north from 
the Second Presbyterian Church 
into the right-side-southbound-lane? 

The car passes, clearing mine by just
inches. Meanwhile, on WFYI, a scientist 
is describing gravitational waves
and their ability to stretch our bodies 
like Silly Putty. I have to admit
that danger isn’t foremost in my mind
as I navigate the storm, 
the cars headed the wrong way,
and all the construction confusion. 

If you like poetry like this, you’ll want to purchase a copy of Dan Grossman’s book: Mindfucking Roundabouts of Carmel, Indiana: Poetry and Short Prose. By purchasing a copy of the book, you’ll be supporting the Indy Correspondent website and helping expand journalism and the literary arts in the Greater Indianapolis area.