Our roads and infrastructure are the essence of our modern, man-made environment. When a field is paved over, or a forest is knocked down, oftentimes it’s to put a road through—or back in the day, to build a railroad. The disturbance of nature so that humans may have ease of transport is the essence of the images and poetry that follow.
Artifacts
Here’s some trash
from one of those
civilizations
I’ve heard so much
about
whose plastics
will last
just as long
as their steel
yes it’s true
that little bit
blowing by your
feet right now
will still be
around after
you pass
it doesn’t matter
how long
you last
faces and names
are always
set to change
but the trash
just keeps on
being trash
Inside Ride
Glad I’m not
on the roof
of this
thing
I would have
needed
a few extra
layers
I didn’t bring
Improvements
Get a load
of this road
it’s been
paved in
code
take a left
no a right
hug that
curve tight
grab the map
do the math
steer us quickly
closer to
smoother
paths.
Forever Red
The red and the
yellow and
the green
command
motorized armies
taking orders
from a hue
and sheen
everyone reacts
it’s just
one of
those facts
looking at
lights
we every day
try
to chase
down
but before
we go back
to
cruising around
this town
let’s do something
novel instead
let’s save ourselves
an ozone
layer
and turn
all those traffic
lights
forever red.
The New American Census (the first Census to sense America) is an online collaboration begun in December 2009 by photographer Adam Cohen and writer Craig Friedman. Through the combination of photography and poetry, they aim to capture the essence of everyday life in New York City and beyond.
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