Commute
By socialeaf
- 1583 reads
Under the cover of clouds,
my train snakes and hums
its way through the South Downs,
towards London.
Through towns I like to imagine
as waking,
through forests, shedding
leaves caught by wet earth
that echoes autumn like
a dead painter’s palette.
It’s ok not to be ok
A Samaritans poster,
signed by Sean,
reads at Hayward’s Heath.
Seconds later,
I am ok.
We charge across
the Ouse Valley Viaduct:
ferrying trains over the dip
since 1849.
We walked under it last Sunday,
ankle-deep in mud.
Hilarious to Leah-Lyd.
Alarming to us
as we’d been caught off guard
by the quickening dusk
and would be squelching
the remaining miles in the dark.
Three Bridges: who is Sean?
Is he ok?
A plane soars over us
as the train squeezes into Gatwick,
kinetic energy from the stop
apparently recycled.
Then, a miraculous rainbow.
I can see half of it
from my window.
We crunch into worse weather;
from here, the rainbow makes more sense.
The Downs are giving way now:
fewer colours, less space, more concrete, drizzle.
I am less ok.
Sean?
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Comments
A lovely poem of colour and
A lovely poem of colour and compassion.
An enjoyable read indeed.
Turlough
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Trains lull us into a
Trains lull us into a contemplative train of thought don't they, and you took me right there with you on that trip - thank you. I hope Sean is ok too
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You describe the atmosphere
You describe the atmosphere of the commute and your thoughts so well in this poem.
Jenny.
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Having previously lived in
Having previously lived in Haywards Heath, I appreciated the journey, and the walk under the viaduct. Our children were often concerned we would misjudge the time and directions for walks! Rhiannon
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I really liked the sense of
I really liked the sense of change, in your thoughts, the weather, scenery. And the movement words for the train, "crunch, squeezes, charge, snakes". And of leaving a good feeling, with companionship, for a more frightening, lonely one.
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Pick of the Day
A journey in so many different ways. This wonderful poem is our Facebook and X Pick of the Day! Please do share/re-X if you enjoy it too.
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Great choice, very glad this
Great choice, very glad this got golden cherries!
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Congratulations social - you
Congratulations social - you really deserve those golden cherries for this one - well done
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