Come hear our tale of viaduct

Whose lofty roadways would conduct

One hundred thousand cars or so

To north on top or south below

And in reward, because we'd ride

Her double decks, she did provide

A stunning sound and mountain view

For all to share, not just the few

Alas, the thing that made her grand

Would in the end not help her stand

For greedy eyes viewed her terrain

And only saw how they could gain

So they conspired to demonstrate

Why her demise would be just great

And claimed that waterfront and town

Could not be friends 'til she's torn down

Her heir, a tunnel underground

Proved costly and perhaps unsound

And surface streets they'd have us use

Raised doubts that traffic would diffuse

But when the choice to retrofit

Was broached they threw a major snit

Because they said her plain gray shape

Would still degrade the cityscape

They felt without a pretty face

She had no right to take up space

Convincing weaker minds, indeed

That beauty counted more than need

So when she's gone and you are stuck

Deep underground behind some truck

Or jammed up on a surface street

While cars and tempers over heat

You'll miss the view and timely way

She moved you through your busy day

And think, perhaps, with all her perks

We should have just improved what works

Carol Smith

Charlestown