History screams sounds of railroads
building empires
genius, dollars, tycoons
immigrant currency of blood and sweat
Quietly now, rusted ties tell tales
of love, death, battles, winning west
twisted metal, wood, gravel, wind
all remember
The comfy toot-toot
of distant huffing night trains
luring dogs, lulling whole villages to sleep
a wood and metal Morpheus
Sleeping on straw
transporting to battlefield
young soldier bewildered by sweeping panorama
waking, waiting to fight brethren
Jump now!
and he does
rolling on grass, watching trains
bullet from now to future
Abandoned railway car
metal sarcophagus holding memories
robberies, battles, caged chickens, tears, laughter
life encapsulated
A rush seat, askew in grass
torn Raggedy Ann doll
watching from
railway tie
Cardboard suitcase
left at station
half open, frustrated bee
poking at flowered dress
Train conductors
punching into history
ensuring stoppage of time
restarting clocks, moving on
Brakemen, stewards, servers, hobos
preserved in rust
witnesses to all
remembering and remembered
Trains clashing, crashing into progress
rival trucks, planes, buses
the ancient shimmied, shoved
youth will have its day
Railroads
Grand Dame of Americana
overwashed, favored housedress
worn thin
Fading
-0-
One word to describe Railroads Americana —> Wonderful!
Well done.
Thank you, Michael, for the read and comment!
What a great collection of details! Albany and environs was somewhat of a rail hub in years past, I I still see many of the remnants. I (almost) always enjoy the trip to NYC by train…a few hours of peace reading and watching the river. I really enjoyed this nostalgic survey of real Americana.
Happy to share this with you, Steve! How I miss our trains
) Thanks so much for the visit, read, and nice comment. Now hurry…catch your train…See ya’
I love some of the imagery here, it’s so rich, there may be too much! A delightful read, Thank you.
Oh, u r so welcome!
) But that’s America, you see…rich…and often too much. Thanks much for the read and comment, Steve!
Hi Jacqui – here is the link to the award http://marousia.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/a-lovely-award/
M, thanks for link and again…very much for the award nomination!
Rich details – a very evocative write
Thanks much for the read and comment, M!
This is a fine set of impressions and you’ve gotten it down eloquently. And as Marousia observed it is very evocative.
Thanks for this, Jackie
Glad you liked it, John, and so appreciate your read and comment! Thank you!
Being a fan of them and more or less frequent passenger on rail…ways, this poem is special to me. So I enjoyed to read “The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet”, for instance. Travelling by train is still the most contemplative way to travel. You put the atmosphere well “on the track” : )
O, Martin! I love this comment and your “train” of thought
*couldnotresistthepun* Must look into Spivet. You are so right about trains being the most contemplative way to travel..from past to future, and always in the now. Thanks so much for your words here. Warm regards 
)
this is gorgeous ma’am…i love trains….grew up with tracks at the bottom of the hill behind the house…fell asleep to their rocking sounds…dreamed of jumping one…did once in college and ended up in the middle of no where…would love to ride one again….i settle for walking the rails for now…for now…lovely piece…
Trains are special time capsules to me…the memory of them, and even those that are still running….for they do travel through time….the stories each passenger migh have intrigues me as well. And, yes, they still have that soothing slumberous sound. So glad you related to this, Brian. Thanks much for the read and comment.
Lovely poem, Jackie…brings back nostalgia for the old steam trains. We have one go past here in the summer for the tourists….along the South Western line….love it. Today’s trains are sadly expensive & overcrowded here…but on a good day, a lovely way to travel …
Hi, L! Happy you connected to this piece…Yes, trains are the way to go, if you can…close to the topography, people, landscapes…railroad building was the keystone to American industry, and gave many immigrants needed jobs…took the place of covered wagons, and connected all points of this country. It;s a wonderful way to see this beautiful country, but very expensive. Thanks much for your read and comment. You are always wellcome!
The thrill is gone, but the rails still carry their mystique–and if gas gets expensive enough, who knows? Love the close of this, the faded housedress you can’t stand to throw out.
Happy you could relate to this Hedge
It’s sad to see rails fade…as they are…they opened up this country…responsible for industrial success and gave many jobs to immigrants and others. Yup, holding on to that faded housedress, like a kid holds on to an old ratty looking teddy bear. Thanks much for read and comment!
Charming and lovely piece!
Thanks so much for the read and nice comment
) Glad you enjoyed this!
love it. mini vignettes and perspectives. brilliant montage of thought. nicely done!
Thank you, Kellie, so much for your read and lovely comment!
)
Those trains that crashed through the frontier leaving so much destruction in their wake. You capture that energy that moved our ancestors from one end of the country to the next. In the train whistle’s sound people used to hear hope and magic, which you capture so well in a panoramic vision. Forgotten now is the hope that rode the rails. Kerouac’s nostalgia for the rails brought to mind in your poem so well.
What a thoughtful and thorough comment, Chaz! Thanks so much!