Olga's Poetry & Thoughts

Today I had my very first in-car driving lesson! I was so nervous, my arms were stiff and I could barely breathe. I was in a state of full concentration and a bit of fear too. I walk outside and see a beige Toyota Corolla with an empty driver's seat. Then I step into the car, and my driving instructor says, in a thick Indian accent. "Hello! Are you Olga?" "Yes" I gulp, adjusting my seat and looking around nervously. "Good weather today huh?" Of course, it has to be raining during my first driving lesson. I start off accelerating very slowly, barely putting a toe on the pedal, going a steady 20 km/h. There was not a single car on the main road that did not pass me. Nervous as hell, I make my first right turn and gracefully nudge the curb. My instructor just tells me to calm down. After going in a sweet right-turning frenzy through the neighbourhood in the pouring rain, he asks me to drive on Leslie Street, where the driving limit reache

A lone woman strolling down the road One slender foot in front of the other Speeding past the rushing cars Listening to advice from her mother The streetlights illuminate the dark sky Flowers in pretty vases line the street Silence pierced by voices of men The scent of the roses morphing to toxic from sweet The bad man wanders the neighbourhood He lingers in the crook of the curb Stroking his chin with a sly little grin Clearly drunk with pleasure and nearly disturbed She spies the bad man from a block away He radiates the scents of tobacco and beer She quickens the pace to avoid his sick face And begs that he will not venture near Headlights of cars shine on her legs Making her feel naked and bare From the corner of her eye she can sense the bad man His icy blue eyes sending a glare Beside the soda shoppe, in the parking lot He scurries like a badger and comes to her ear His rotten teeth inches away from her cheek He whispers, "Honey, come here"