Poetry competition CLOSED 7th December 2017 1:37pm
WINNER
Foxface (Aewyrn)
Foxface (Aewyrn)
RUNNERS-UP:
PoetSpeak
and Erotic_Goddess
Trains and Railroads
Going With the Trains
I am leaving and never coming back.
Take me to where every single track
Meets the road. I am simply no longer
Traveling by airplane. I am stronger
As the trains that are always built from
The ground up. There are always some
Cities that have no names and only
Destinations. It is better to be lonely
And watch people instead of being
A part of the big crowd. I am seeing
The world through a different lens,
Through the window, holding pens
And capturing every moment of
Feeling alive. Something like a love
That runs deeper than most train
Tracks. I trace and follow the rain
Drops my fingers. I follow the sun
And clouds until the day is done.
Take me to where every single track
Meets the road. I am simply no longer
Traveling by airplane. I am stronger
As the trains that are always built from
The ground up. There are always some
Cities that have no names and only
Destinations. It is better to be lonely
And watch people instead of being
A part of the big crowd. I am seeing
The world through a different lens,
Through the window, holding pens
And capturing every moment of
Feeling alive. Something like a love
That runs deeper than most train
Tracks. I trace and follow the rain
Drops my fingers. I follow the sun
And clouds until the day is done.
Written by eswaller
Go To Page
Symbolizing Our Decay
The tracks are barren now,
no train has made for this direction in a decade,
but that was us always taking the road less traveled.
Oh how I relive our breaking point staring at the cracks in the rails,
taking notice of the vines and weeds growing straight through a once steady surface.
The tracks disappear around a bend,
I stand here numb
in a thought that they will disappear just as surely as you faded from me,
leaving me to stand in place with no inclination of the route to take.
These tracks how they appear to symbolize us in the aftermath.
How my heart lay rusting in the mid day Sun, and tears...
my tears fall just as surely now to face the barren tracks leading to nowhere...
Once they led me somewhere....
Once my heart rested at the end of the tracks,
impatiently waiting to embrace me, coffee and a cigerette.
Sweet and savored kisses waiting...
To linger...
when I turned to walk back the way I came staggering and empty handed.
We are merely a memory of better days when the train steamed down the lines bringing us together.
The tracks are decaying,
as was our destiny,
they rust and crack in our passing.
I can only stand at the start of the tracks and remember what is lost to the end.
The tracks were much easier to pass back then.
no train has made for this direction in a decade,
but that was us always taking the road less traveled.
Oh how I relive our breaking point staring at the cracks in the rails,
taking notice of the vines and weeds growing straight through a once steady surface.
The tracks disappear around a bend,
I stand here numb
in a thought that they will disappear just as surely as you faded from me,
leaving me to stand in place with no inclination of the route to take.
These tracks how they appear to symbolize us in the aftermath.
How my heart lay rusting in the mid day Sun, and tears...
my tears fall just as surely now to face the barren tracks leading to nowhere...
Once they led me somewhere....
Once my heart rested at the end of the tracks,
impatiently waiting to embrace me, coffee and a cigerette.
Sweet and savored kisses waiting...
To linger...
when I turned to walk back the way I came staggering and empty handed.
We are merely a memory of better days when the train steamed down the lines bringing us together.
The tracks are decaying,
as was our destiny,
they rust and crack in our passing.
I can only stand at the start of the tracks and remember what is lost to the end.
The tracks were much easier to pass back then.
Written by Erotic_Goddess
Go To Page
When the Tracks Meets the Road
In my morning runs I’ve crossed over the tracks,
And looked in both directions,
It’s quiet,
Along the miles of wood and steel.
When I’m driving,
I’ve been caught in traffic,
As the train passes by,
Car after car after car,
There’s something about the sound of the engine.
There been times when I’ve made a long drive,
Through the mountain pass and I see it there,
Appearing and disappearing through tunnels,
Moving with the landscape.
And once I get to the open road in the desert,
I can still see it in the distance,
And again
When the tracks meets the road.
I’ve always wondered,
How many lives,
How many years it took to build
The countless miles of railroad tracks.
So the next time I board a train,
I’ll think of the stories and lives
From long ago that still affects
The way we can transport
And travel today.
In my morning runs I’ve crossed over the tracks,
And looked in both directions,
It’s quiet,
Along the miles of wood and steel.
When I’m driving,
I’ve been caught in traffic,
As the train passes by,
Car after car after car,
There’s something about the sound of the engine.
There been times when I’ve made a long drive,
Through the mountain pass and I see it there,
Appearing and disappearing through tunnels,
Moving with the landscape.
And once I get to the open road in the desert,
I can still see it in the distance,
And again
When the tracks meets the road.
I’ve always wondered,
How many lives,
How many years it took to build
The countless miles of railroad tracks.
So the next time I board a train,
I’ll think of the stories and lives
From long ago that still affects
The way we can transport
And travel today.
Accident
It was a game that we enjoyed
Playing
Talking excitedly as we
Trekked through the woods
Forgetting the lives we lead
In the concrete jungle
Filled with drugs, abuse, hopelessness,
Poverty, alcohol, guns
A night where the moon
Was almost completely black
And pockets filled
With
Twenty dollar bills
We met where the railroad tracks
Crossed a river
Our busy chatter faded to silence, losing its
Life
As I pulled out the jar
The sound of teenage hands shoving bills
Into the glass container
And the river rushing between us
My voice spoke loud and clear,
Speaking the only guideline,
"Last one off the tracks takes all."
The crickets began their orchestra once again
As our Nike's and Van's left safe ground
Crossing to the center of the narrow
And
Daunting bridge
Lined up like ducks and waiting
Off in the distance, a horn went off
And I watched as the first ripple of uncertainty
Shuddered through the group
Red breathed shakily as Blue Eyes swallowed nervously
Seconds later, Freckles bailed, the tiny possibility of
Death
Being too much
Bad Boy smoked a cigarette and
Makeup cast a look at the money pot
The horn sounded again
The tracks began to vibrate ever so slightly
As the crickets went quiet
Stoner shook his head, cussing, before
Running back to safe ground
Lion looked at me for reassurance
While
Blondie stared at the sky
The ground began to shake and the train
Was in sight
Bright lights from a distance off
Blue Eyes ducked out with a too loud laugh
And I felt the milliseconds counting down
Smiling
When Lion and Makeup quickly escaped
Ten seconds
The vibration of the metal seeping from my toes to my bones
To my fingers and lips
Seven seconds
The lights suddenly straight on from where I was
Blinding me
At
The
Worst of times
Throwing off my estimate of its proximity
Six seconds
Closing my eyes as I heard two splashes from below, someone choosing to jump off the 50 foot bridge
Rather than see the face of the
Grim Reaper
My blood pounding and rushing in my head
Every surface of my body trembling
Waiting for the last sound of someone
Hitting the water
Two seconds
Ringing in my ears as the noise deafens me
Floating
Hearing people scream behind me
Bathed in light as the horn going off
Thunders into my heart
One second
Splash
Playing
Talking excitedly as we
Trekked through the woods
Forgetting the lives we lead
In the concrete jungle
Filled with drugs, abuse, hopelessness,
Poverty, alcohol, guns
A night where the moon
Was almost completely black
And pockets filled
With
Twenty dollar bills
We met where the railroad tracks
Crossed a river
Our busy chatter faded to silence, losing its
Life
As I pulled out the jar
The sound of teenage hands shoving bills
Into the glass container
And the river rushing between us
My voice spoke loud and clear,
Speaking the only guideline,
"Last one off the tracks takes all."
The crickets began their orchestra once again
As our Nike's and Van's left safe ground
Crossing to the center of the narrow
And
Daunting bridge
Lined up like ducks and waiting
Off in the distance, a horn went off
And I watched as the first ripple of uncertainty
Shuddered through the group
Red breathed shakily as Blue Eyes swallowed nervously
Seconds later, Freckles bailed, the tiny possibility of
Death
Being too much
Bad Boy smoked a cigarette and
Makeup cast a look at the money pot
The horn sounded again
The tracks began to vibrate ever so slightly
As the crickets went quiet
Stoner shook his head, cussing, before
Running back to safe ground
Lion looked at me for reassurance
While
Blondie stared at the sky
The ground began to shake and the train
Was in sight
Bright lights from a distance off
Blue Eyes ducked out with a too loud laugh
And I felt the milliseconds counting down
Smiling
When Lion and Makeup quickly escaped
Ten seconds
The vibration of the metal seeping from my toes to my bones
To my fingers and lips
Seven seconds
The lights suddenly straight on from where I was
Blinding me
At
The
Worst of times
Throwing off my estimate of its proximity
Six seconds
Closing my eyes as I heard two splashes from below, someone choosing to jump off the 50 foot bridge
Rather than see the face of the
Grim Reaper
My blood pounding and rushing in my head
Every surface of my body trembling
Waiting for the last sound of someone
Hitting the water
Two seconds
Ringing in my ears as the noise deafens me
Floating
Hearing people scream behind me
Bathed in light as the horn going off
Thunders into my heart
One second
Splash
Written by Foxface
(Aewyrn)
Go To Page
Weird Things on a Subway Ride in New York City
I"m on the subway going from Manhattan to Brooklyn
It's and hour ride
You can see a lot in an hour
Sometimes more than you want to see
Today was one of those days
Guy across the way from me
Maybe in his 50's or 60"s
Dressed in a nondescript manor
Browns that don't match
Already a problem in city where black is the uniform
Somewhere in Brooklyn he whips out a Bic pen
You know that pen, it's iconic in shape and design
Are you familiar with the blue cap with the long edge ?
Dude proceeds to stick the edge in his ear
Mission: to remove ear wax
Woman next to him is reading a book
Turns her head to witness the carnage
Tries to move left but she is wedged in against a passenger
Has to sit there until we reach the stop
Everyone is grossed out while he digs away
Stuff you see on the subway that you wish you didn't
At least he's not clipping his finger nails I think
A day in the life on the subway
New York City
Next Stop Canal Street
Everyone gets off
It's and hour ride
You can see a lot in an hour
Sometimes more than you want to see
Today was one of those days
Guy across the way from me
Maybe in his 50's or 60"s
Dressed in a nondescript manor
Browns that don't match
Already a problem in city where black is the uniform
Somewhere in Brooklyn he whips out a Bic pen
You know that pen, it's iconic in shape and design
Are you familiar with the blue cap with the long edge ?
Dude proceeds to stick the edge in his ear
Mission: to remove ear wax
Woman next to him is reading a book
Turns her head to witness the carnage
Tries to move left but she is wedged in against a passenger
Has to sit there until we reach the stop
Everyone is grossed out while he digs away
Stuff you see on the subway that you wish you didn't
At least he's not clipping his finger nails I think
A day in the life on the subway
New York City
Next Stop Canal Street
Everyone gets off
Written by PoetSpeak
Go To Page
Anonymous
<< post removed >>
THE BEST KIND OF COMPANY
To me trains are like an ends to a means
or a new beginning
I haven't ridden on many trains
but I want to
When I travel the world I was to ride a train
you don't have the hassle and expectations that an airport does
When I am on a train I am not expecting to get anywhere anytime soon
I just enjoy the ride
When I move far away
I want to make the exit by train
it makes it more official to me and I can't explain why
I like the sound of a train moving slowly on its tracks
when you close your eyes it sounds that much more peaceful
it can become like a drug
you sit there with your eyes closed and you zone in on the sounds so intensely that for just a moment you forget where you are
that's what I like about trains
I don't like a layover because that means you have to stop and start again
and with a train that takes too much time
it brings you back to your familiar surroundings
Just a straight shoot trip
that's all I desire from a train
To me trains are like an ends to a means
or a new beginning
I haven't ridden on many trains
but I want to
When I travel the world I was to ride a train
you don't have the hassle and expectations that an airport does
When I am on a train I am not expecting to get anywhere anytime soon
I just enjoy the ride
When I move far away
I want to make the exit by train
it makes it more official to me and I can't explain why
I like the sound of a train moving slowly on its tracks
when you close your eyes it sounds that much more peaceful
it can become like a drug
you sit there with your eyes closed and you zone in on the sounds so intensely that for just a moment you forget where you are
that's what I like about trains
I don't like a layover because that means you have to stop and start again
and with a train that takes too much time
it brings you back to your familiar surroundings
Just a straight shoot trip
that's all I desire from a train
The Train
-From 'Noon Realizations':
Clickety-clack,
the train which
moves and shakes
on rickety rails.
It buzzes and
hums loudly
then winds down;
all is silent;
it restarts
like a heart
shocked to life.
Then,
it blasts
into daylight
and exposes
through windows
its bobbing,
weaving self;
its cars moving, bouncing
sliding, seeming
in opposition.
Then,
it plummets
into dark
and slows
screaching,
wailing, it
reveals twists
and turns
and dark tunnels
crevaces, dirt...
In this dark
do I see my reflection
in the window over the
head phoned,
corn-rowed,
shiny white on black jacketed,
leaned on knees ,
drumming fingered
kid who glances
at me
illuminated by
a lit interior.
I see
shadows near
the weathered faced,
beige jacketed,
tweed capped,
straight postured
china man who sits
on the edge of his seat,
heavy eye lidded,
staring,
holding a paper but not reading.
I realize,
we are all moving
at the same pace
regardless of
destination, as
this moment of chaos
frozen, shakes
us all and removes
convictions
held strong;
beliefs
in tonight, tomorrow
knowledge,
wonder of
who should live or die
or just strive;
who is destined to know
and see
all truths eventually.
The train, unexpectedly
slows then stops...
We all lean
in tangent
like leaves in a gust
of wind; momentum
makes us rise as we try,
instinctively
to grip the sticky floor
with our feet.
Clickety-clack,
the train which
moves and shakes
on rickety rails.
It buzzes and
hums loudly
then winds down;
all is silent;
it restarts
like a heart
shocked to life.
Then,
it blasts
into daylight
and exposes
through windows
its bobbing,
weaving self;
its cars moving, bouncing
sliding, seeming
in opposition.
Then,
it plummets
into dark
and slows
screaching,
wailing, it
reveals twists
and turns
and dark tunnels
crevaces, dirt...
In this dark
do I see my reflection
in the window over the
head phoned,
corn-rowed,
shiny white on black jacketed,
leaned on knees ,
drumming fingered
kid who glances
at me
illuminated by
a lit interior.
I see
shadows near
the weathered faced,
beige jacketed,
tweed capped,
straight postured
china man who sits
on the edge of his seat,
heavy eye lidded,
staring,
holding a paper but not reading.
I realize,
we are all moving
at the same pace
regardless of
destination, as
this moment of chaos
frozen, shakes
us all and removes
convictions
held strong;
beliefs
in tonight, tomorrow
knowledge,
wonder of
who should live or die
or just strive;
who is destined to know
and see
all truths eventually.
The train, unexpectedly
slows then stops...
We all lean
in tangent
like leaves in a gust
of wind; momentum
makes us rise as we try,
instinctively
to grip the sticky floor
with our feet.
Written by PoetsRevenge
Go To Page
THE BEST KIND OF COMPANY
To me trains are like an ends to a means
or a new beginning
I haven't ridden on many trains
but I want to
When I travel the world I was to ride a train
you don't have the hassle and expectations that an airport does
When I am on a train I am not expecting to get anywhere anytime soon
I just enjoy the ride
When I move far away
I want to make the exit by train
it makes it more official to me and I can't explain why
I like the sound of a train moving slowly on its tracks
when you close your eyes it sounds that much more peaceful
it can become like a drug
you sit there with your eyes closed and you zone in on the sounds so intensely that for just a moment you forget where you are
that's what I like about trains
I don't like a layover because that means you have to stop and start again
and with a train that takes too much time
it brings you back to your familiar surroundings
Just a straight shoot trip
that's all I desire from a train
To me trains are like an ends to a means
or a new beginning
I haven't ridden on many trains
but I want to
When I travel the world I was to ride a train
you don't have the hassle and expectations that an airport does
When I am on a train I am not expecting to get anywhere anytime soon
I just enjoy the ride
When I move far away
I want to make the exit by train
it makes it more official to me and I can't explain why
I like the sound of a train moving slowly on its tracks
when you close your eyes it sounds that much more peaceful
it can become like a drug
you sit there with your eyes closed and you zone in on the sounds so intensely that for just a moment you forget where you are
that's what I like about trains
I don't like a layover because that means you have to stop and start again
and with a train that takes too much time
it brings you back to your familiar surroundings
Just a straight shoot trip
that's all I desire from a train
And here we have it--Winner! Foxface, and your first trophy, too! Yay!
Great writes from everyone, loved all the different viewpoints and perspectives, and I always go with the one that sticks out the most with me, and "Accident" did that here. Very unique take on the topic, very real-life with the risk taking and I can picture it playing out as a movie or short film. Great job!
Erotic goddess--love the feeling of abandonment in yours; I'm always drawn to abandoned places and have photographed many such railroads in my area, just for their beauty.
PoetSpeak--how can you not love a train ride through NYC?? It's such a wonder-filled place with the human landscape, ever changing, and yep.....you see just about everything there!
Everyone else--thanks so much for getting your conductor hats on and riding the rails ! You all deserve trophies!
Great writes from everyone, loved all the different viewpoints and perspectives, and I always go with the one that sticks out the most with me, and "Accident" did that here. Very unique take on the topic, very real-life with the risk taking and I can picture it playing out as a movie or short film. Great job!
Erotic goddess--love the feeling of abandonment in yours; I'm always drawn to abandoned places and have photographed many such railroads in my area, just for their beauty.
PoetSpeak--how can you not love a train ride through NYC?? It's such a wonder-filled place with the human landscape, ever changing, and yep.....you see just about everything there!
Everyone else--thanks so much for getting your conductor hats on and riding the rails ! You all deserve trophies!
