8 Traffic Light

Trevor Birch

Mr. Lashley

English 101

May 2, 2024

Traffic Light

In the heart of a city, where tall concrete things stretch on forever, the same process goes on and on from the middle of a busy intersection. At the center of this intersection, standing tall is a traffic light. Although there is chaos and many honking horns, the traffic light is a beacon of control, it controls the city’s traffic. The traffic light looks down on all the cars passing by, wondering who they are and where they are going. The traffic light knows his duty, his duty is to control the cars and maintain a steady flow of traffic. Although he doesn’t know why it is necessary, the cars don’t listen anyway. There is always at least one car who speeds up when the traffic light signals yellow. Signaling yellow is supposed to slow the cars down, thought the traffic light. The traffic light watches as day after day cars run red lights and cause crashes, why can’t they just listen thought the traffic light. I’m here for a reason aren’t I?  The traffic light silently observes the chaos going on around him, patiently waiting for the time when he changes color. Maybe the drivers don’t observe as much as I do thought the traffic light. As he observes, he focuses on the drivers themselves, he sees their impatience and frustration. He sees them tapping their finger on the wheel, intently staring at him, waiting for him to change color. He can tell they are eager to reach where they are going, but the traffic light makes no exceptions. The traffic light observes bikers, watching them, feeling as though he can feel their sense of freedom. He observes pedestrians, weaving in and out of traffic, walking quickly to their destination. Through all this chaos, the traffic light remains silent, just like always. Continuously changing colors, allowing cars to pass through while others stop. The traffic light stays the same, even in an ever changing world. The traffic light has noticed over time, the small changes he observes. He sees many different types of cars, new models all the time. He sees the same people passing through the intersection, but looking different, looking older. The traffic light sees cars pass through, but sometimes with a new, smaller person inside. Eventually, he sees the smaller person drive through the intersection on their own. He wonders why, why does it work like that. All the traffic light has ever known is silently observing, and controlling traffic. The traffic light wonders if the cars and drivers feel the same way, do they silently observe? What is their duty? Through the chaos, the traffic light is a symbol of order and control. Even when everything is unpredictable, the traffic light is steadfast and doesn’t change. Even when cars don’t listen to it, he remains the same. The traffic light is a symbol that even in the middle of chaos, there is control. There is a rhythm to the way things work, the traffic light is an example of this. The traffic light allows the drivers to thrive, even amidst the chaos.