3 words in white paint

on red painted wood

a man holds them
facing east
i drive west.

he stands by himself and
we all drive past
him.  the end

of a workweek.
some of us are hung
over.  we're driving
too fast to read.  i

catch these words, though:

                obama
            muslim
   
              terrorist.

words are posted
       like
         a
     cross.

this is not downtown.
this is not rush hour.
this is not election time.
he stands there alone.
we keep driving.