here rolled the wheels of industry
upon rail tracks long removed
neath the bridge on the lane
which adventured me homeward
on long ago schoolboy days
brambles grow where once those tracks
possessed the high embankments
over which i strolled in July's afternoon
from sports field runnings, home
for tea and buttered crumpets
. ten year old's secrets were made
. of cigarettes puffed by the pack
. and pennies placed on the track
. crushed flat by a hundred wheels
. hidden in drawers, never revealed
the impermanent permanent way
lost to history's forward path
lost are waggons of coal they mined
the jobs and their Grey Goose beer
lost are the tears over memories passage
. for those who could not journey to here
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Author:
dusk arising (
Offline) - Published: February 2nd, 2022 04:00
- Comment from author about the poem: I have always been fascinated by trains. Recently I came across a video online where a man walked the route of a railway line a knew so well in the 1960s. Now with no tracks and heavily overgrown but still with bridges and embankments intact, imprinting their once purposeful position on the landscape. Memories flowed.
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 38
Offline)
Comments6
How I long for those glorious days, when steam ruled the rails, roads and waves ................................. N
Things seemed to possess more character back then.
Wonderful words d a and such wonderful memories of times passed.
Andy
Thank you Andy. The last line was with my older brother in mind who sadly died a few years back.
I enjoyed this poem, the pictures I can see from your lines. A wonderful memory.
Thank you Rozina, I have many memories of those years.
Railways means a lot to me to….where one can reach anywhere in minutes via a flight…railways signify journey to me
Railways hols a fascination for me too.
I pictured this as I read it through - I was there - well i was once a long time ago.
And was that in HO/OO scale? LOL.
Thumbs up to this one dusk, given my interest in railways. A piece loaded with images and evocative detail.
In the case of Beeching, who did the dirty work, I suppose the old adage 'It's an ill wind...' is applicable as all those closures did provide great walking tracks for those so inclined.
Enjoyabe read - many thanks.
After leaving the area aged eleven I became an avid trainspotter and travelled around quite a lot to see trains in UK. I am about 15 miles from a large preserved steam railway and often pop over to refresh my interest - though not in the lockdown years. Thank you DD.
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