The bus moves and stops,
bus stop by bus stop,
waiting for passengers to board and leave.

The air-conditioned bus has frosted windows,
it's cold, and a few people stand up to adjust the aircon --
it doesn't make much difference

and the passengers shiver in silence, brushing their arms,
sitting side by side with an unknown stranger.
we all pretend to ignore each other.

After all, they're just people who boarded the frigid bus
at the same time, listening to the same honking sounds
outside the bus windows, jerking in rhythm as the bus

accelerates and decelerates and brakes at a sudden
red light. They all look in different directions, avoiding
each other's gaze -- what is it in their eyes we're so afraid of?

The scenery just passes by without significance as they
stare outside aimlessly, all thinking different thoughts,
eyes a blank except for the occasional flicker of emotion.

And so the silent bus moves on, and passengers come
and go, and the silence envelops each and every one,
moving on and following them everywhere they go; hounding them.