Punam has us concentrating on trains in the dVerse Poets Pub!
In the early 90's I attended a performance of Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Starlight Express" in London's West End Theatre District. The performers were ALL on roller skates. I found it thoroughly enchanting!
With your 'indulgence' a poem from my blog, the year 2013.
as long as he could
rust ~ it destroyed him
we knew that it would
in prime time he rolled
over mountains and plains
Rusty the Noble
King of all Trains
put out to pasture
his best years are gone
ghost of his old form
scant muscle, lost brawn
lies in a pasture
alone and bereft
too old to be useful
lost tonnage, no heft
beyond restoration
no hope for him now
scrappers are coming
the bell tolls for thou
remember him fondly
remember him well
Rusty the Powerful
before his death knell
Dearest Helen,
ReplyDeleteIf only RUSTY could tell the stories of his working years! The joy of passengers and surprise visits and on and on...
Hugs,
Mariette
Thoroughly enjoyed this!
ReplyDeleteSuch a poignant elegy for what must have been a beloved train, Helen—nicely penned!
ReplyDeleteI'm sad for relics like Rusty as you write of him, yet happy his ruin so shimmers with the past. I get that driving by the vastly empty daily newspaper plant where I once worked, remembering that massive energy which once throbbed there.
ReplyDeleteThere is a mix in this.....as we are pulled closer and closer to Rusty, until one really starts to feel for him, and all of history he pulled...the bells, indeed...wonderful poetry Helen.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely, heartfelt tribute to Rusty, Helen! You made us feel for him.❤️
ReplyDelete"Rusty the Noble," "Rusty the Powerful": I think through your words he's eternally alive in song. (Loved your use of rhythm and rhyme to give us a sense of the rolling along "over mountains and plains.")
ReplyDeleteHow sad to see all those rusty trains by the fields. The scrappers are coming indeed for him. Good perspective Helen.
ReplyDeleteHi Helen, this is a wonderful poem. I have always liked trains although I haven't travelled by train very much in my life. My sons both loved Thomas the Tank Engine books and I also enjoyed Starlight Express with the cast on rollerskates.
ReplyDeleteForm, styles, words, I love everything about this.
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