Less Is More

In just three lines and 17 syllables, our readers capture a lifetime of travel experiences.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY BARRY BLITT

Packing for the trip
Anticipating my needs
I forgot my shoes.
— Jillien Cruse, Chicago, Illinois

Your seat will define
Exactly who you are now
Exit-row aisle.
— John Fruehe, Austin, Texas

Time equals my life
Productivity is key
Use seconds wisely.
— Stephen Johnson, Bloomington, Illinois

All my good socks gone
Shoes come off for the X-ray
Toe holes walk of shame.
— Ronnie Perkins, Crandall, Texas

Laptop, Starbucks, cell
Ziplocs, Benadryl to sleep
iPod: My weapons.
— Anne Buchholz, Las Cruces, New Mexico

Oh, humanity
Ten months, 23 countries
With new eyes I see.
— Jeff Labhart, Tillamook, Oregon

Mom said reach for stars
So I spend most my time at
Thirty thousand feet!
— Gretchen Bieber, Chicago, Illinois

Japanese to learn
Six thousand miles yet to go
Sleep a distant dream.
— Joseph Hebert, Frisco, Texas

Flying all around
Teaching about climate change
Paradox for sure.
— Brendan Owens, Alexandria, Virginia

Each day is a gift
Appreciate each moment
Don’t sweat the small stuff.
— Jason Kaufman, Great Neck, New York

Silence is golden
In my hotel room at night
Read, snooze, turn off light.
— Vince Ellwood, Dallas, Texas

Soar to new places
Where we learn from new people
And touch others too.
— Ronald Overmann, San Francisco, California

Cruel polarity!
For crying babies on board
I am the magnet.
— Keith Saks, Coral Gables, Florida

Mighty baggage claim
My suitcase; be the first one
For all to envy.
— James Lee, San Francisco, California

Work hard, play hard, right?
But why do I want to play
With my coworkers?
— Ryan Orsini, Irvine, California

Sad to leave the kids
But all will be forgiven
If I bring presents.
— Alan Jenkins, Brooklyn, New York

There’s a beer in hand
In a comfy first-class seat
Better than traffic.
— Patrick McEvoy, Dallas, Texas

Happiness is this
Your name on the upgrade list
At the very top.
— Mark Rickards, Flower Mound, Texas

Airport gate seating
Brings to mind Marquis de Sade
Love Admirals Club.
— William Bryden, Conway, Arkansas

Travel, what a pain
To get from place A to B
Teleport me, please.
— Dude Poole, Hilliard, Ohio

In commuter strife
My car goes nowhere; my mind
travels round the globe.
— Christine Rasmussen, Brandywine, Maryland

Peregrinating
With wings, skyward loft
Landing, grounded, home.
— Mark Dvornik, Lewisville, Texas

Security line
I move fast, why don’t you too?
Road warriors speed.
— Allison Watson, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Plane, train, car, boat, bus
Are second homes for people
Who are you and me.
— Peter Emminger, Beacon, New York

It is midnight here
I wake up I know not where
I fall over chair.
— Mark Gibbons, Lone Tree, Colorado

Missed her game again
Only a few days this time...
Heartache. Single mom.
— Vickie Goto, South Pasadena, California

Belt, shoes, jacket off
Scan me, pat me, arms spread out
Run, gate, wait, I shout.
— Teresa Hilligoss, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Where is my luggage?
Which country am I in now?
And what is the time?
— Timothy Denehy, McKinney, Texas

True road warriors
Wake in exciting new worlds
While dreaming of home.
— James Widergren, Cerritos, California

Hotel room first night
Wake in middle of the night
Can’t find the bathroom.
— Joel Henning, Chicago, Illinois

Why limit yourself?
Humiliation worldwide
That should be your goal.
— Karl Coleman, Boston, Massachusetts

Did I switch time zones?
Checking in or checking out?
Where am I today?
— Daniel McCoy, Fort Collins, Colorado

Manic, the search for
A free power outlet at
Many an airport.
— Jane Raynandi, New York, New York

Three hundred hotels
In eighteen months, seems only
The shampoo changes.
— William Radosevich, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Serendipity
Road warrior’s code word for
Having a great time.
— Nancy Beyer, Marengo, Iowa

My life at airports
Just found out, first-class upgrade
Vodka soda, please.
— Eric Viele, Austin, Texas