04-25-2015, 07:35 AM
Steam Trains
In a wet pavement world
conveyed in beige
I like to watch and wait,
sip railway coffee,
eat my lunch from tin-foil
among the oil and fumes
the drone of daily muse.
For all the rolling stock Sulzers
and countless Big Diesels,
every now and again
a steam train,
bright red or green
polished brass, loud and brash,
spitting coal, clouds of ash.
For that moment
when their track runs to my door
I can only climb aboard
pick up the shovel,
see if the furnace holds.
Of course there is a danger
that these engines burn out,
explode, twist metal grind rocks
but they are spectacular
I have to watch,
I have to ask,
find out their story,
ride the footplate for a while
until the next station
muffled by the crowds of coats.
In a wet pavement world
conveyed in beige
I like to watch and wait,
sip railway coffee,
eat my lunch from tin-foil
among the oil and fumes
the drone of daily muse.
For all the rolling stock Sulzers
and countless Big Diesels,
every now and again
a steam train,
bright red or green
polished brass, loud and brash,
spitting coal, clouds of ash.
For that moment
when their track runs to my door
I can only climb aboard
pick up the shovel,
see if the furnace holds.
Of course there is a danger
that these engines burn out,
explode, twist metal grind rocks
but they are spectacular
I have to watch,
I have to ask,
find out their story,
ride the footplate for a while
until the next station
muffled by the crowds of coats.
If your undies fer you've been smoking through em, don't peg em out