Train Boy

They called him Train Boy and they

whistled and clattered along after him

like empty boxcars on a lonely

stretch in Nevada they whistled and whistled

at him, hey Train Boy, hey Train Boy…

they switched his lines, they stole his lunch

they pulled his underwear up to his

ears they clattered and clattered at him

behind him, on his track, he called the colors

red, and blue, and green but they

followed him, hey Train Boy, hey Train Boy

they said awful things about his mother

they drove him, like an engineer would

drive an engine they stole his money

they drove him, they called him a

goatfucker, they drove him, boxcars,

clatter and whistle they drove him

they ripped his clothing, they ate his

heart raw and dripping they drove him

they drove him straight into

his last switchyard, which

is death.

Reviews

[Fabian G. Franklin]

Wow. Excruciatingly violent and malicious behavior from kids and adolescents can often drive another kid to extremes like suicide or worse. You handled the topic excellently here. Good writing.

[JR]

Thanks man. In my senior yearbook someone else wrote a poem about him too, he died right before the end of the school year. His name was Billy and I've never stopped thinking of him. And what those kids did to him...

[Fabian G. Franklin]

Sad. I had a high school friend that was brutally raped and murdered. She was 16. Events like that, you don't forget.

[JR]

Nope, you never do. They leave a dent.