Clickety-clack, clickety-clack
Now fast, then slow
Cli-cke-ty-claaaack, cli-cke-ty-claaaack
The recorded voice announcing the next station
"Next station, Howard.
Siguiente estación, Howard."
The aisle empties, then refills
So tired, I am grateful to be sitting
My seatmate makes no motion to get up
I readjust my heavy bags on the floor
Grip the handles tightly, and close my eyes
We break free from the city, and sun warms the cabin
Orange-red light blinking through my eyelids
As we pass light posts and trees
Now slow, then fast
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack.
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I am attending our annual Texas Library Association conference in my home city this year--one of the few times I take the commuter train downtown. How nice it is to avoid traffic and parking fees!
Love the repetition in your poem, as well as the peace that settles over you as the train heads out of the city. Hope it's a great day.
ReplyDeleteIt was great, and I was very tired at the end--bags heavy with books for our library!
DeleteGreat word choice and rhythm in this poem. I felt as if I was on the train riding with you!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm glad my description was vivid enough to "feel" the train trip.
DeleteWhy do I feel that I was just back in time? Or in an exotic locale? I halfway expected you to say you were on vacation; the orange-red light, the warm sun, the Spanish ... the TRAIN. That's what did it the most, the sense of actually being on the train. I kept wondering what would appear next, what exciting thing you were headed toward. A library association conference - unexpected, but oh, an exciting adventure in itself! Hope you are re-energized there and that you enjoy every moment. Love this vivid travel poem.
ReplyDeleteOh, a vacation would be nice, but nope, just the commuter train from the far northwest corner of Austin where I live, to downtown--then back again in the evening. Taking it all week!
DeleteYou have lovely rhythm in this poem. It makes me actually want to get on a train! Thank you for sharing this piece!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Trina! It was a pleasant trip. Managed to get a seat this evening, too!
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