Lines from the train ride

Observations on my journey to work. Part of the 'Lines from the train ride' series

Lines from the train ride

 

Lines from the train ride,

Bouncing through the bumpy trek.

Starring through the reinforced plastic.

As we out run the clouds.

 

Bumps end,

A smoother path begins.

At a time when graffiti and trees,

Make a curious blend.

 

A short hiss,

Doors open,

New possibilities arrive.

Pop pop pop,

Doors close.

No stories here.

Just passengers devoid of a real life.

Mainly suits and gelled hair,

Briefcases congested with scripts of debauchery,

Most likely future financial amnesty.

 

 

An unprecedented bump bump ,

On the soles of my feet.

Many still trying to figure out,

What's in store this week.

 

Waiting for the answers.

Glancing intermittently,

Side to side,

Scrutinising passengers ,

Who are mostly lost in the lives,

Of fictitious adventurers,

Or steamy sensual erotic stanzas

 

Peepers glued to screens.

Digits on the glass.

Any remains of the spoken word,

Lost in the wings of the technological bird.

A tired, troubled Tuesday morning,

Becomes a memorial for the art of face to face communication.

 

Scanning the carriage once more.

This time for a solitary smirk.

But  stuck in a ghetto of dejection,

Faces switched to frown mode.

 

A rolling graveyard of working corpses,

Sighing dread.

Chronic desperation,

In rhythmic formation,

Reach for tickets,

Uninspired synchronisation.

 

Jump off at the station.

Witnessing consistent teleportation,

Through the expensive blockade,

Wait!

At last an interruption.

A rare occurrence.

Sighting of an unrehearsed  and organic raised cheek.

Taken aback by interactional syncopation.

 

The momentary lapse has passed.

Reminded we are slaves to the system,

Day to day on the grind.

Some wishing they could go back,

To an innocent and youthful time.

 

Writing comes to an end,

A long and turgid day crawls out the block.

I'll take to my ink tomorrow,

And begin the lines again.

Reviews

[Vera]

This is a successful and well-written poem. It brings the reader back to memories they might have. I have never been on a train, but I did immediately think of long bus rides I have been on. Your word choice is well thought out and creates beautiful pictures. Well done! :)

[Owen Aldin]

Thank you for your kind words. It one was I really enjoyed writing.