47. Road Up

What's wrong with the road?

Why all this hush?

They've given it an anaesthetic

In the lunch hour rush.

They've shaved off the tarmac

With a pneumatic drill,

And bandaged the traffic

To a dead standstill.

Surgeons in shirt-sleeves

Bend over the patient,

Ready to perform

A major operation.

Don't dare sneeze!

Don't dare shout!

The road is having

Its appendix out.

                    Norman Nicholson