Curbside Haiku, New York City Road Safety Poetry Signs
A sudden car door,
Cyclist’s story rewritten.
Fractured narrative
Cars crossing sidewalk:
Worst New York City hotspot
To run into friends
Oncoming cars rush
Each a 3-ton bullet.
And you, flesh and bone.
Cyclist writes screenplay
Plot features bike lane drama
How pedestrian
8 million swimming,
The traffic rolling like waves
Watch for undertow.
Too averse to risk
To chance the lottery, yet
Steps into traffic
Car stops near bike lane
Cyclist entering raffle
Unwanted door prize
“Curbside Haiku” is a New York City public safety campaign featuring clever road safety sign designs and haikus by artist John Morse. Two hundred signs will be installed at locations around the city. The campaign is sponsored by the New York City Department of Transportation.