Whistles and Bells

Whistles and Bells

 

 

the railroad train used to run by my house

glasses rattled like summons for a wedding kiss

the couch moved a few inches farther away from the TV

and i bounced along the tracks,

like a hobo

looking for that car of closure

to box me in

 

but the never-ending train

kept me shaking, quaking

until i fell into the pieces of my iron heart

 

and by the time the caboose

severed the run-on sentence hanging on my lips

i saw you sitting at the crossing

watching Divorce Court 

in High Deaf

on your "i" phone.

 

 

 

erin-cilberto

2/20/19

Reviews

[kentuck14]

Wow! J., great poem! Those images jump right out at you. Love that 2nd line, 1st stanza!! Tremendous word play here. "looking for that car of closure/to box me in." Hey I could go on, but . . .
Scored well with this one, man. Sorry it's a sad subject.
Tom

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Tom,
j.

[Ranger Kessel]

Where I grew up the tracks were all removed to make trails for sbowmobiles. I used to imagine the trains going by. They were real to me. Thank you this brought my imagination back.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

glad you could relate, Ranger, thank you.
j.

[andrew mitchell]

Divorce is such a long winded process if not amicable, and while gone you can see the caboose of all your troubles in the distance while the wedding day just flies by in joy.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

so true...thank you andrew.
j.

[Onlyme]

Sad and touching poem Jacob. About love and divorce and reminders of the past you once shared together on the sofa as the trains passed by.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, Dawn,
j.

[Onlyme]

my pleasure and thank you for the great poems.

[john l smith]

Unfortunately, the divorce course has recently entered our realm, however, no trains were responsible for them going off track, they just seemed to lose steam.
Very nicely done

Dave B

[jacob erin-cilberto]

it happens...
thanks, Dave B.
j.

[Moonie]

Ummm I dig dark humor, and this one is perfectly whimsical enough to not cause much trouble! :)
I really like how you paid attention to the little things that might be associated with living near railways- like the couch moving an inch backwards. You have a knack of connecting two (seemingly) distinct things like the whistles and the wedding bells. Great writing!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Moon's fairest.
j.

[Gandré]

THis is a perfect poem for
Theparisreview.org

They like such poetry..I liked it, too... such an ambiguity.. tragicomic..
Thanks for commenting on my piece!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Gandre.
j.

[Alfred Kukitz]

So perfectly put a sadness in comedic form! Bravo Jacob!

regards,
al

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, my friend.
j.

[Ted Kniffen]

How I remember that feeling. My hometown had a set of three tracks running through it and a large curve coming in from the north, the freights would rumble through day an night. My Granddad was a section chief for the New York Central for 50 years, so I know that life well...they still had conductors and cabooses back then...I still hear the bells and see the lights on the crossing arms as the trains passed by.
Can't say much about Divorce Court except it would be best listened to in High Deaf.

A good write, j.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for sharing your story about your Granddad...ah yes..conductors, cabooses...memories.
read morethank you for sharing your story about your Granddad...ah yes..conductors, cabooses...memories.
and train wrecks of relationships...
oye...
appreciate your visit this morning Ted...i so enjoy reading how poets relate to other poets scribblings.
j.

[Chris Shaw]

Trains and track no going back. How I hanker after steam trains and my childhood memories. I momentarily got derailed Jacob while reading your lines. It must have been the whistles and bells that did it. You never disappoint, how do you keep producing such quality?

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your very kind review, Chris.
j.