Please Swipe Again

Tell me this hasn’t happened to you:
You’re running for the train.
Your Metro Card is in your hand –
Alas! It’s all in vain.

‘Cause when you swipe that sucker in,
No matter where or when,
You’ll get that message, loud and clear –
It says, “Please swipe again.”

You know your card’s not empty;
Your credit’s unsurpassed.
So now you think – Aha! Perhaps
I swiped my card too fast.

You swipe again more slowly.
The message reappears.
Too slow this time? So try again.
You’re one who perseveres.

The folks behind you get annoyed,
But you’re not giving up.
You need this like you need,
As Nana said, a “loch in kup.”*

But finally, your swipe succeeds
And so you can stop griping.
You shake your head at all the shnooks
Who can’t seem to stop swiping.

*hole in the head (Yiddish)