Muse for Monday

train tracksRailroad tracks conjure many images. What does it bring to mind for you? Freight cars laden for colder climes? Tanker cars? Vagabonds and tramps? The caboose?

Are you thinking about being late to work waiting for the train to pass? Did you remember the chemical spill after the derailing? Or was it the passenger train wreck?

Mantra is seeing something altogether different. She remembers a morning On The Rails. Perhaps, you read the story. She has the part not printed in the newspaper.

On The Rails

Somewhere near the end
The screech of the wheels
On the tracks made gravel
Dance between the cold rails.
The engineer tried hard
The impact not to feel,
But the newspaper claimed
Unavoidable – Brakes Fail
When the train came to rest,
It was a long run here.
No idea what he’d find,
But hoping for naught at all.
The words he spoke in pants
Were surprising to hear.
Not thought, but words he said.
He stopped, tried not to fall
To his knees on the ties.
With tears he whispered, “No.”
Chanting hushed denial
Of a life spread on ground.
“How could you stand and smile?
This is no way to go.
I would have helped you out.
A way could have been found.”
Today, cross arms are down.
The bell clangs its warning.
No more death on the rails
In the blustery morning.

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Why do we need institutional barriers to stop us from doing things which could kill us? Why would anyone choose this method?

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28 Comments

  1. oh my… what a shivering feeling I get with this… it is exquisite in its beauty, haunting in its imagery…
    well done, as always!

    🙂
    BuddhaKat recently posted..Fractal FloraMy Profile

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    • Good. That means the impact was not avoided. Thank you for reading this one, Janet. xxx

      Reply
  2. Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance.
    Everybody thinks it’s true.

    (Anyone?)
    El Guapo recently posted..Friday Foolishness – Take Two Of These EditionMy Profile

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