Port Authority Bus Terminal

The main bus station for the City of New York, at 625 8th Avenue, located in the heart of Manhattan, one block west of Times Square. It occupies the blocks between Eighth and Ninth Avenues and 40th and 42nd Streets. Sometimes nicknamed the Port Authority, it is operated by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. It provides essentially all interconnections for all intercity buses going in and out of New York City.

On December 15, 2000 it celebrated its 50th Anniversary. The building's website is at http://www.panynj.gov/tbt/pabframe.HTM

In the connecting tunnel between the subway platforms under the PABT and the Times Square subway station, while heading towards Times Square, one can see a series of plaques, apparantly plastic, affixed to the steel beams that hold the ceiling up. There's thick, black lettering printed on these plaques; a poem, though it took me quite a while to notice that it rhymes.

At first I'll present it spaced out, as it is on the beams.

          .-----------------.
          |    OVERSLEPT,   |
          '-----------------'

          .-----------------.
          |     SO TIRED.   |
          '-----------------'

          .-----------------.
          |    IF LATE,     |
          '-----------------'

          .-----------------.
          |    GET FIRED.   |
          '-----------------'

          .-----------------.
          |   WHY BOTHER?   |
          '-----------------'

          .-----------------.
          |  WHY THE PAIN?  |
          '-----------------'

          .-----------------.
          |  JUST GO HOME  |
          '-----------------'

          .-----------------.
          |   DO IT AGAIN.  |
          '-----------------'

The final plaque is larger, almost a square rather than a 
low rectangle. It's angled between the beam and the 
ceiling, and is printed with a black and white picture of 
a somewhat rumpled bedspread, with matching patterns on 
the blanket and pillowcases.

The poem may be hard to read above, but it's even harder to read as it's presented; the plaques are about one every tenth roof beam. It can be easy to miss for the common commuter who doesn't look towards the ceiling, and even if one is trying to read it it can be difficult to get the whole thing in the rush hour crowds, since they're on the left side of the tunnel, and people on the left are walking in the opposite direction of the one you must to read it. But when it's written out as briefly as possible, it just doesn't seem as special:

Overslept, so tired.
If late, get fired.
Why bother? Why the pain?
Just go home. Do it again.
(picture of bed)

I have no idea who put these plaques up in that tunnel, or why. The poem's demotivational, negative tone makes it seem odd that the Port Authority would allow it put there. They've almost definitely got permission; they've been up for at least a year, and are carefully screwed in place. Presumably their creator convinced someone that it was a good idea, probably with some sort of artistic angle. It's a mystery to me.