When That Whistle Blows

  

I hear the whistle of the train

Drifting over these plains.

It is a bittersweet sound for me,

But has always been my friend.

So many times it has brought the comfort

Of a complete stranger to these lonely parts

To show me life outside these same dusty trails

As I learn that paved roads can be dirtier.

Then one day that southbound train

Takes away what it gave to me so generously

Leaving me to wonder why they couldn’t stay.

Is this a lesson or punishment for past deeds?

The answer always seem to blow away

Faster then that speeding train.

So as I listen to that whistle blow

Yet one more time

That old question races to my mind?

Is it the beginning or an end

To this run down ghost town?

Reviews

[Fran Marie]

Is this a lesson or punishment for past deeds?
The answer always seem to blow away

Sometimes we may never understand or know tthe answer
either~ maybe it is bad karma/punishment indeed for the past
who knows~ but the sound of the lonesome train whistle makes
you wonder in the middle of the night thinking of memories from
long ago and of all the people passing thru~your life

~Thought provoking piece Dale~ you expressed it so well!!

[An owl on the moon]

These beautifully bittersweet words sound almost lyric in nature, and feel so profoundly personal and haunting in a way. I grew up in a train town (Tracy) and so the connections were vivid, though your words move on several levels. Amazing write.

[Gheeneil]

This, I think, talks about time and memories. As time passes by, we meet people. They could be friends, a loved one. The latter seems to match the description in this piece. Time may take a loved one away from us, but as we go along, we'll be meeting someone new, even better. There may be uncertainty as to when but the meeting will surely come in time. Thanks for sharing.

[Chloe..Across the Unive..]

Deep and thoughtful. I think it is another of yours for my favorites.
Train whistles have always given me a lonely feeling .. your poem is lovely..
Chloe
xoxo

[ABitBrokenPoetry]

nothing more lonely than railroad tracks, or trains slowly chugging along through wasteland. a deep, thought-provoking write.

[Ellen Hammond]

A clever, ambiguous write. I find train whistles echo a lonesome sound and through this reading, I sense a personal loneliness inspired it.

[Georgia Gypsy]

I have lived in distance of hearing the trains whistle for years, it always makes me wonder what is on that train, where is it going....and i wish i could go too....

Very great emotion, and expression! One of my newest favorites!:)

[Stacey Watts]

Wow excellent poem. I really enjoyed this poem tremendously. Very well done. The train I never really have understand why is it always in literature displayed as sad and metaphors for loneliness? I don't know the question swirling around my brain this morning. Excellent read..

[Helen Woodward]

It could be either!! This is terrific Dale, I too love train whistles. I live in a small town and the train whistle always brings thoughts of change, though rarely does it happen as it passes through.
You have brought life to this piece through careful scrutiny and detail.
Watch your use of...then/than
Cheers,

Helen :-)))))

[Lizanne]

Sad and thought provoking. One of the lonliest sounds in the world is the fading of a train whistle, especially after dark. It announces the departure of other living beings and their company. But it is also a comforting sound to some as it announces the arrival of a new companion or the coming back of an old one. The train whistle can be interpeted as the arrival or departure of those coming to live in the town or those leaving. But to read the last two lines of your poem and a couple of others within the body, makes me lean a little toward the personal side, the beginning and end of a relationship.....many times it has brought the comfort of a complete stranger...........why they could'nt stay.. Is this a lesson or punishment for past deeds?" The last two lines just seem to reinforce this idea..."Is this the beginning or an end....To this rundown o;d ghost town?" Great and compassionate writing about the feelings of desertion. Be it town wise or personal. Your gift of writing gave us another present to open.

[cest la vie]

Oh I always wanted to be like a vagabond, hop on a train and just ride.
This is a great write of how something so minute as a train or it's whistle can invoke memories dear to your heart.