Markings

Rarely in this life
do we get the clarity
of information
painted directly on the road

Reminders of which lane is ours
which lines we can cross
which ones we can’t
which ones allow for turning
which ones tell us to stay
straight
how fast it’s safe to move
when’s it’s ok to be slow
when to let someone walk

or at least look out for them
in case they’d like to
sometime
maybe
not now

As one quiet sloping street
twists downward
to meet another faster flatter one
the word STOP
is written twice
side by side
one for either direction
you might be heading

STOP STOP

it never says when
or if
or how
to go