Trains
carry our memories
of an older America,
simpler times sensible times
all about the movies novels mystery
where trains were the setting
the scene of the crime
we had a romance with trains
steam engines
Pullman cars
Jesse James
cowboys and Indians
Industry
progress
Presidential speeches
from the back of the caboose
every small town had a train station
men rode off to war on trains
lovers met on trains
east met west met on Promontory Peak
America was embodied in the myth of trains
now too many fall off their Amtraks
careening off their rails spilling oil and chemicals
evacuate cameras roll trains to blame
now it's faster trains but more accidents
the engineer fails to brake
asleep at the wheel
too many apps
wave goodbye to trains
goodbye Jimmie Rogers
so long Johnny Cash
the tracks of our tears
lonesome whistles in the dark night
still chill our souls
send shivers down our backs
we remember how it used to be
ghost trains
riding through time
that lonesome whistle blowing
fading away
fading away.
© d.knape
January 29, 2018
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