Freight Train

A non-rhyming poem about trains and other things.

The freight-train

gasping for breath.

It pulls its heavy load

up the mountain's tracks;

forty cars and counting

the caboose.

White mounds of stark

nearly blind the engineer,

as he looks to the tracks ahead.

The morning sunbeams

aide in the snowy blindness

and the chill in the air

is hardly noticed by the train's

working fellows.

“More coal,”

he cries out to his apprentice.

A thin young man

with a dagger's scare on his cheek

and a pipe clenched firmly

between rows of graying teeth.

Yes, up the mountain's tracks

they trek, forty cars,

counting the caboose.

“No stopping now,

more coal, more coal, lad,

and be quick!”

The engineer bellowed

so sailor-gruffly.

His cigar puffed gray smoke

to each chug

of every steam-piston's stroke.

“The crest is seen, Lad!”

Cries the engineer,

“Stop feeding the fire

least we slide to infinity.”

Then down the mountain,

forty cars and counting

the caboose.

***

Brake on, brake off,

no need to flatten a wheel by

friction on the tracks.

No need to slide too long,

the station has time to wait.

“Drain the pressure, Lad!”

The engineer cries as a lever moves

and white billows of steam erupt

and flow along the edges of

the iron-clad work horse.

The engineer locks the brakes

once more, and forty cars clunk

coupling to coupling all the way

to the caboose.

“The water tower's just a spit and a hall-er,”

the old man yells as he releases the brake.

Then he reaches for the steam whistle chain,

and two blasts, the long and the short of it,

sound all across the valley floor.

The brake is slowly applied, again,

and the Mountain Express comes to

a steam-belching stop at the water-tower.

“Hey Water-boy, give us a taste,”

the apprentice bellowed as he sounded the whistle;

two long blasts to signal to the caboose.

In the shake of a mailbag, another man appeared,

younger than the apprentice and cleaner than his whistle.

“Hop to it, boy, stated the apprentice with a smile.

And as the Old Engineer stepped from the train

he handed his hat to the apprentice, saying,

“You're the master now, son,

so treat her like a lover and a friend.

If you do, she will take you anywhere tracks are laid."

Then the apprentice smiled and replied,

“I will Dad, and give the family my love.”

***

Near a half-hour passes

and we see the old man standing

on the platform, hints of tears in the eyes

and an unlit stub of a cigar in his teeth.

He watches the Mountain Express

cross the valley without him.

Retirement came today,

trading the love of his life

and forty freight-cars,

counting the caboose,

for 40 acres and a gas power Tractor

with a freight-train whistle,

up on top.

JE Falcon

02-04-2022

Reviews

[Betty Hermelee]

When you least expect it something happens... a sort of grim tale ,,but very well done. I like the dialogue between the engineer and his apprentice. who is a bit too eager to keep loading that coal in the engine..but it suits the entire scene. Well done.
Best, B.

[JE Falcon]

Thanks for the feedback. Back in the steam era things were different and life was hard, but they got the job done.

[Betty Hermelee]

You’re very welcome

[Vertigo Cat1111]

I already thought this was great, but you added more! And I’m so glad you did, it somehow adds even more to it, it makes you more interested in the characters. You feel for the characters, and it just really expanded it. It was a great choice to make it even better, to make it this much better. Great work!

[JE Falcon]

Much Thanks! We try :)

[William Michael Reeves]

Wow! You tripled it which quadrupled the impact! The story really gripped me. I actually felt for the old engineer. Loved the cleaner than a whistle line. You took something already interesting and multiplied the emotion by ten. Hundred to you!

[JE Falcon]

And Wow, Thanks! I'm happy you like it. :)

[Vertigo Cat1111]

The storytelling, the dialogue and the interactions are all simply brilliant and so entertaining to read. It felt classical, yet nostalgic at the same time, all the while being it’s own creative piece. Like another said, a part 2 to this piece would be great. The way it was written is just satisfying and so pleasantly told. Thank you for sharing!

[JE Falcon]

Thank you for such a pleasant review, I'm happy you liked it.

[JE Falcon]

Vertigo, you and William were right, this story needed more to finalize it. So, from (***) and after is all new if to care to take a look.

[William Michael Reeves]

They should have looked before they leaped. Infinity can come up on you so fast. The other things you write of? The relationship between engineer and his seasoned lad. Age and wisdom tempering the enthusiastic impulsive youth. I would like to read a part two to this poem.

[JE Falcon]

Thanks William, the truth be told, possibly in part two, the engineer does this every week and has for years. And it is also true that he has managed to stop the sliding train, right on target, at the water-tower, at the bottom of the hill, every time. But the challenge is his prize, and the prize is the knowing that HE CAN. :)

[JE Falcon]

Well, William, I've decided that you were right, this story needed more to finalize it. So, from (***) and after is all new. Thanks!