Balanced on Ballast
Along the graded landscape
balanced on ballast
spiked astride
perpendicular ties
lies aligned
parallel lines
of forged steel rails.
Ceaseless seamless sequence
for coming transport hence
vista’s unseen spaces
far’way distant places.
Symmetric still
remains until
bold whistle call
hails coming thrall
‘tis iron horse
with fearsome force
its’ powerful thrust
eats miles with lust
headlong it’s bound
shaking the ground
in hurried pace
to destined place
skipping versts
singing verse
turbine base
sets the pace
steel wheels zing
rolling ring
click-clack crossing
commerce bossing.
forward horse
follow carriage
box cars and freight
tankers and slate
steel in stacks
on flat car backs
gravel and coal
stole from a hole
autos and gas
lumber and glass
produce and grains
trailers on trains
commercial race
to destined place
transport and trade
profits exchanged.
Continental lines
link historic times
traversed along rails
by human travails
what profit avails
thru tree-lined green
and rustic scenes
past farmers’ dell
and nature’s spell
where people sell
their numbers swelled
past crumbled cores
of city sores
weed-choked spurs
till all a blur
when then regain
the open plain.
Carry on carrier
beyond receding past
future fate follow forth
for yore and morrow pass
along parallel tracks
as passing freight and fare.