Friday, November 06, 2009

Granite Railway

At night we heard the chirping
-----------of the diesel frogs

A common crossing
-----------beneath the trestle

Vagabonds

A boy stretched out like Jesus

-----------He already knew

Monuments

The future engraving granite
----------into each of his ribs

Our hearts were really pumping

Cathoom, cathoom

I watched a train churn slowly above us

Graffitied and loud

The engineer's arm waving

His face out of view

6 comments:

Mark said...

I should preface by saying I have a thing for railroad tracks--there are some within a biking distance from my parents' house, and I used to wander around them looking for fossils in the rocks (I say "used to" when in fact I did it at least twice this summer).

I like this poem. "The diesel frogs" is such a great phrase. I'm not sure I'm following "the future engraving granite"--what I picture you imagining is the granite being like an inlay, set into the bone ("The future inlaying granite").

Cathoom is a lovely sound, too. :)

Charmi said...

Thanks, Mark. Nice suggestion about inlaying. That might work better!

Calder said...

Deeply moving, especially the monument and granite bits, his tombstone. Great read.
Smiles!
R Jay
(I got rid of Calder...lol)

Charmi said...

Thanks, R Jay. Yes, you get it. Wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Man oh man. I still love this poem. Is this published somewhere?

Charmi said...

Thanks, Vince. For some reason I don't think I've ever sent this poem out.

Are you settling in to the school year? Whipping those students into shape :-)