Morning run — Summary

Dave BontaContemplative

the din of the night bus home

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Dave Bonta's "Morning run" is only six words long, and it works by compression. The speaker is out running early, and what they notice is a sound: the din of the night bus heading home. The poem gives us no more than that, so the reader has to fill in the scene.

The word "din" suggests a loud, rattling noise, and "night bus" brings to mind the people it carries, perhaps tired and wrung out after a long evening. The phrase "home" is the turning point. For the bus, the day is ending and it is going back to rest. For the runner, the day is just starting. The two are passing each other in opposite directions of time.

The speaker's feeling is never stated, but the mood seems quiet and observant, maybe a little lonely, maybe a little pleased to be up and moving while the city is still half asleep. The title does a lot of the work, since it sets the hour and the speaker's purpose.

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