Life — June 13, 1918 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Rubaiyat of a Commuter" by Christopher Morley This satirical poem mocks the daily frustrations of commuters (likely from Long Island or similar suburbs into New York City). The verses humorously detail: - Rushing to catch early trains while sacrificing personal grooming - The tedium of commutation tickets punched repeatedly yearly - The social hierarchy of train cars, with smoking cars preferred to escape women's conversation - Missing dinners and leaving wives to manage burnt food - The moral compromises of suburban commuting The accompanying small illustrations show domestic chaos—rushed mornings, neglected families, harried travelers. The larger right-side cartoon depicts an idealized aviator, with the caption "At Least This Part of the Aviation Program Has Flown"—suggesting aviation offers escape from commuter drudgery. The era appears to be post-WWI, when aviation symbolized modernity and freedom.