Will Subway Riders Take a Stand?
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
NEWS ITEM: Straphangers in the New York City subway system are faced with the prospect of having nowhere to sit. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to eliminate seats in certain trains during rush hours in order to accommodate greater numbers of passengers.
The MTA the throng mistreats,
Depriving them of subway seats.
Already like sardines they’re canned,
But riders now will have to stand.
Upstanding citizens lament:
No place to park one’s fundament!
This action public wrath ignites,
This blow to fundamental rights!
Acute discomfort will prevail
In daily riding of the rail.
The MTA, we all agree,
Deserves both scorn and raillery.
The fares increase; we’re charged more dough;
What’s our reward? It’s “SRO.”
If to a boycott all agree,
Then subway cars would BMT.
We’ll have, unless an answer’s found,
A revolution underground.
The passengers are in a snit,
The question: Will they stand for it?
Az mit der unterban me fort,
Me darf avade a zitsort.
In New York shtot, es geyt mer nit!
“Oyfshtel zikh, mentsh, no place to sit!”
Tsu MTA, me shrayt “oy vey,”
Nor nit oprufik zaynen zey,
Der hintn fun a pasazshir
Muz geyn onheymik, vey iz mir!
Der optsol take hekher krikht,
Far unterban mer gelt me zikht.
Der klal batsolt, nor mit a kas,
Umgliklekh, yo, s‘iz nit kayn shpas!
Revolution unter-erdish
Zol yetst zayn yeder eyner’s wish.
Der MTA iz nisht gerekht,
Der loyfveg fintster, azoy shlekht!
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