The Train in Spain Stays Mainly on the Plain (as elsewhere)

Doggerel Dave


Notice of absence from Doggerel Dave
I will return early January.

Long train journeys are much enjoyed by me,

Just as a tourist but not excluding

A nifty way to get from A to B.

Though I can’t leave this without alluding

                                 To

My obsession with steam locomotives

On which I worked a very long time ago.

Hard to know from where my passion derives:

This work was hot and dirty and although

                                 It’s

Quite true, positions me in space and time

When steam travel then was seen as the norm.

But there’s also history down the line

When a clean pastoral landscape was just torn

                                 By

Smoke and filth, whole countryside pollution:

Didn’t help the farmer’s wife’s neuralgia,

Neither the farmers own indigestion;

Nor also his chronic nasal alergia.

Though what they called them then I’ve no idea.

  • Author: Doggerel Dave (Pseudonym) (Offline Offline)
  • Published: May 22nd, 2024 00:30
  • Comment from author about the poem: Alergia – Actually Spanish for allergy, which linked nicely with my contrived title and provided a rhyme…… Sometimes a rhymer’s gotta do what a rhymer’s gotta do….
  • Category: Unclassified
  • Views: 20
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Comments +

Comments8

  • Teddy.15

    lol this is fun Dave. Great imagery but not so much the smell. 🌹

  • Doggerel Dave

    No, right there, Teddy - the smell, the filth and the loss of land.

    • Teddy.15

      Living in Tuscany still has its perks for now anyway, we have strict laws about building. it's still green, but yes I do get it. 🌹

      • Doggerel Dave

        Still green countryside now - and after the Beeching closures in the UK (1950 -'60s I think) many old lines were turned into hiking and bicycle paths. I wanted to imagine how it must have been for the populations where those, what at the time must have been filthy monsters, were pushed through.

        (Just had a sneaky look at Google - it appears there is an effort to reinstate many of the old lines - It would get my vote today).

      • orchidee

        Good write Dave.
        Since when did this site cease to be intelligent? - never! Bit of Spanish for us.
        Bonjour - bit of Spanish from me there! Eh?

        • Doggerel Dave

          It is really really good the way, orchi that you try to accommodate other's ideas, prepared to get your Spanish up to date. Going to Spain soon? - You should try their aromatic cigarettes.......

          • orchidee

            Yes, I'm sure 'bonjour' is Spanish - no?!
            A tale of Sir Orchi NS - one said to me 'Give LSD a try'. I replied: 'But I got some money in me pocket already!' The pre-decimal £SD - pounds, shillings, and pence, in the UK.
            How would naive Orchi know what LSD is?!

            • Doggerel Dave

              You sure you don't know a Mickey Finn? Didn't get introduced then? Could account for something....

            • Goldfinch60

              Good fun words Dave.

              Andy

              https://youtu.be/U6OHD2uCpfU?si=uBSSqq6vPJkcm26Y

              • Doggerel Dave

                Thanks Andy - haven't seen Flanders and Swann for years. If I got it right, they were mourning the loss of those journeys - nostalgia plus.

                • Goldfinch60

                  Yes you are right Dave, they were mourning the loss of those journeys.

                  Andy

                • Thomas W Case

                  Excellent work. Enjoyed.

                • sorenbarrett

                  This marks your and my age in that I remember the ride on steam locomotives when you had to keep the windows closed so as not to dirty your shirt. A fun read and yes poetic license is to be encouraged.

                  • Doggerel Dave

                    Cheers, Soren. I've always been at odds with my love of steam and what must have been a horrendous experience as rail made its first appearance across a more or less pristine countryside; tried to keep it fairly light here.

                  • Neville


                    I like this for so many reasons .. it seems we share a similar passion ..
                    I regularly travel on the local stream trains on the West Somerset Railway .. I also like the way you play with words .. You may not post often but you haven't disappointed this old fella yet .. Neville

                    • Doggerel Dave

                      Heartfelt thanks, Neville. Your responses help keep this old geezer motivated. I enjoy fiddling about with words, and in truth I doubt I could do any of it without the advice proffered on the ‘net (not talking AI here).

                    • Thad Wilk

                      Love trains 🚂🚃🚃🚃 !
                      Had a Lionel set when
                      I was a little lad, played
                      with em constantly, only
                      rode them a couple of times
                      when I was older! Great poem
                      brought back mem'ry's! 👍
                      Best regards ✌️ Thad



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