The World Beyond Cars - speculative fiction: "Bellingham got up early. He never failed to notice the play in the surface below his feet when he got up in the morning. Footsteps now could contribute to the powering of the world. Each step he took on the thin surface - what was once the floor but which was now all sides of all spaces - activated tiny sensors that cumulatively created energy. Outside on the walkway the same play existed. The strength of the surface exceeded that of what used to be called walls. Soundproof. Fireproof. Replaceable. They came from a plant that once made automobiles."
It doesn't need to be an apocalypse
with masses running in the streets
and closeups of mouths open in horror
We could reason together
and conclude that oil will surely end
in the lifespan of our grandchildren if not before
We could start to think
apply our minds
to how we might proceed
The most unthinkable thought we need to think
is that we could actually achieve
the capacity to live sensibly
