Waiting at the Station

When, without stopping, an express
train has hurtled through a station,
the commuters do not perceive
how much older the people opposite
grew while their view was blocked;

nor, when another train clatters past
in the other direction, do they
see it obscure the circle of huts,
the smouldering fires and the men with
spears setting off to hunt for food -

as if standing still’s being only
where you are, not stopping yourself
stepping in front of the horses
of the coach you don’t see arrive,
nor roasting your boar on a spit;

as if waiting for a train is only
choosing between what is and what
isn’t, like believing your paper’s
not a tree, though you’re already
on board, and leaving yourself behind.

.

Reviews

[alanwgraham]

I have to be truthful - I'm not entirely sure of your personal meaning in this poem but I really like the images in this and the use of the train as a metaphor. Our perception of time and reality are ideas that I think about a lot and I like to explore in my writing. You have caught the mystery of these perceptions very well. I also like to play games with time as you have done with the stone age reference. You might like a read of my story 'Times enigma' (on page 5or6)
Cheers,
Alan

[Gerald Parker]

There is no personal meaning in this poem just a treatise on what people don't see. What they don't see might not be there in reality but it's not in their imagination either. Take your eye of something and you don't know what it's doing while you're not looking.No time today to look at your piece.