all I hear is the sound of traffic—
cars whooshing past…
right here,
my little window to the world lets it all in
—it clouds my head and makes me hate the road
…I’d rather live near the airport
than on a busy street
because at least the sound of machines in flight
has a sort of impressive majesty to it —
metal beasts leaving earth for the heavens
to take human beings somewhere far away…
but the cars, they’re gross and ugly and low
to the ground—the cars, ugh, the cars
are as stuck as I am,
on routines to jobs,
rushing on lunch breaks
speeding to pick up snotty rich kids
from school and sports…
the suburban net, the preppy sprawl,
the patchwork matrix, I hate it all…
when the hell is it going to rain?
when the hell is it going to fade?
make it dim, make it slow, let’s
quiet down, let’s grab our shit and go
Garbage Notes:
I’m very sensitive when it comes to certain sounds. I don’t enjoy being surrounded by cacophony.
Traffic sounds in particular really bother me. Whether I’m in the car or just near a busy street. Something about the erratic whooshing sounds, the screeching of brakes, car horns blaring—it’s all too much for me. I hate it.
It could seriously be the nicest house in the nicest neighborhood. But if it’s on a main road where there’s heavy commuter traffic, I find it very distracting.
It’s true, I’ve lived near airports and I’ve lived on busy streets. And I can honestly say I prefer the sounds of planes taking off. It’s somehow much more preferable to the craziness of busy roads.
So anyway, I wrote this poem while sitting at a window outside a busy road—I think it was probably during the lunch hour rush. And I was trying to get some writing done. But I was having a hard time. It was so calm indoors, and yet I was still thrown off because of the traffic madness going on outside.
I like quiet. I like dim. I like the calming sound of rain. I love when things are continuous and steady. And I love when things are winding down or tapering off. I don’t like the hustle and bustle. I don’t like the mood of revving up. I can’t stand the atmosphere of rushing and speeding, of people trying to get somewhere quick.
Maybe I’m just oversensitive. Maybe I’m not made for city life. I don’t know. All I know is, on this particular occasion, I felt this intense need to say, hey, let’s get out of here to some place more quiet. Let’s grab our shit and go.
Franco Amati 2024
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I SO relate to this. I also have Hyperacusis and Misophonia! Intense irritation at certain sounds. I live on a main road now after living in the middle of nowhere for 20 years. But I learnt to listen to the wooshing car noise as waves and I imagine them splashing on the shore and it has helped! Great poem Franco, thanks.
thank you Scarlett, I appreciate that feedback