The Night Ride
Gas flaring on the yellow platform; voices running up and down;
Milk-tins in cold dented silver; half-awake I stare,
Pull up the blind, blink out - all sounds are drugged;
the slow blowing of passengers asleep;
engines yawning; water in heavy drips;
Black, sinister travellers, lumbering up the station,
one moment in the window, hooked over bags;
hurrying, unknown faces - boxes with strange labels -
all groping clumsily to mysterious ends,
out of the gaslight, dragged by private Fates,
their echoes die. The dark train shakes and plunges;
bells cry out, the night-ride starts again.
Soon I shall look out into nothing but blackness,
pale, windy fields, the old roar and knock of the rails
melts in dull fury. Pull down the blind. Sleep. Sleep
Nothing but grey, rushing rivers of bush outside.
Gaslight and milk-cans. Of Rapptown I recall nothing else.
poem by Kenneth Slessor

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Running On Empty
Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
Looking back at the years gone by like so many summer fields
In sixty-five I was seventeen and running up one-o-one
I dont know where Im running now, Im just running on
Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But Im running behind
Gotta do what you can just to keep your love alive
Trying not to confuse it with what you do to survive
In sixty-nine I was twenty-one and I called the road my own
I dont know when that road turned onto the road Im on
Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But Im running behind
Everyone I know, everywhere I go
People need some reason to believe
I dont know about anyone but me
If it takes all night, thatll be all right
If I can get you to smile before I leave
Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
I dont know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels
I look around for the friends that I used to turn to to pull me through
Looking into their eyes I see them running too
Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But Im running behind
Honey you really tempt me
You know the way you look so kind
Id love to stick around but Im running behind
You know I dont even know what Im hoping to find
Running into the sun but Im running behind
song performed by by Jackson Browne

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Blood, Milk, & Sky
The siren sings a lonely song - of all the wants and hungers
[of all the wants and hungers]
The lust of love a brute desire - the ledge of life goes under
[the ledge of life goes under]
Divide the dream into the flesh - kaleidoscope and candle eyes
[kaleidoscope and candle eyes]
Empty winds scrape on the soul - but never stop to realize
[but never stop to realize]
Animal whisperings - intoxicate the night
[intoxicate the night]
Hypnotize the deperate - slow motion light
[slow motion light]
Wash away into the rain - blood, milk and sky
[blood, milk and sky]
Hollow moons illuminate - and beauty never dies
[and beauty never dies]
Running wild, running blind
[Running wild, running blind]
I breathe the body deep
[I breathe the body deep]
1,000 years beside myself
[1,000 years beside myself]
I do not sleep
[I do not sleep]
Seduce the world it never screams
[Seduce the world it never screams]
Dead water lies
[Dead water lies]
Ride the only one who knows
[Ride the only one who knows]
Beauty never dies
[Beauty never dies, never dies, never dies, never dies, never dies, never dies, never dies, never dies,]
song performed by by White Zombie

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Blood, Milk, Sky
The siren sings a lonely song - of all the wants and hungers
[of all the wants and hungers]
The lust of love a brute desire - the ledge of life goes under
[the ledge of life goes under]
Divide the dream into the flesh - kaleidoscope and candle eyes
[kaleidoscope and candle eyes]
Empty winds scrape on the soul - but never stop to realize
[but never stop to realize]
Animal whisperings - intoxicate the night
[intoxicate the night]
Hypnotize the deperate - slow motion light
[slow motion light]
Wash away into the rain - blood, milk and sky
[blood, milk and sky]
Hollow moons illuminate - and beauty never dies
[and beauty never dies]
Running wild, running blind
[running wild, running blind]
I breathe the body deep
[i breathe the body deep]
1,000 years beside myself
[1,000 years beside myself]
I do not sleep
[i do not sleep]
Seduce the world it never screams
[seduce the world it never screams]
Dead water lies
[dead water lies]
Ride the only one who knows
[ride the only one who knows]
Beauty never dies
[beauty never dies, never dies, never dies, never dies, never dies, never dies, never dies, never dies,]
song performed by by White Zombie

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Pull Down The Blind
(sylvester)
Sitting here alone
Drinking from an empty can of beer
Wishing you were here
Think I hear the bell
Must be my imagination
Hoping youll appear
Are you feeling well
Would you write a letter just to say
Had a lovely day
I never realized
How lonely I would be without you
I guess Ill pull down the blind
Ive finished all the wine
I guess Ill pull down the blind
I feel Im feeling fine
Had a busy day brought in the milk
And saw the folks next door
Who could ask for more
Tomorrow leaves today
I look at a photograph of you and me
Hows the family
I guess Ill pull down the blind
Ive finished all the wine
I guess Ill pull down the blind
I feel Im feeling fine
song performed by by Hollies

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Blue Island Intersection
Six streets come together here.
They feed people and wagons into the center.
In and out all day horses with thoughts of nose-bags,
Men with shovels, women with baskets and baby-buggies.
Six ends of streets and no sleep for them all day.
The people and wagons come and go, out and in.
Triangles of banks and drug stores watch.
The policemen whistle, the trolly cars bump:
Wheels, wheels, feet, feet, all day.
In the false dawn when the chickens blink
And the east shakes a lazy baby toe at tomorrow,
And the east fixes a lazy pink half-eye this way,
In the time when only one milk wagon crosses
These three streets, these six street ends,
It is the sleep time and they rest.
The triangle banks and the drug stores rest.
The policeman is gone, his star and gun sleep.
The owl car blutters along in a sleep walk.
poem by Carl Sandburg

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Train Running Low On Soul Coal
Me train running low on soul coal
They push+pull tactics are driving me loco
They shouldnt do that no no no
They shouldnt do that
Me train running low on dream steam
They pull me whistle too hard me bound to scream
And they shouldnt do that no no no
They shouldnt do that
Think Im going south for the winter
Think Im going mad in this hinterland
Between young and old
Im a thirty year old puppy doing what Im told
And Im told theres no more coal
For the older engines
Me train running low on soul coal
Think Im going south for the winter
Think Im going west and my sprinters speed
Is reduced to a crawl
My rails went straight, but straight into the wall
Its the wall on which they dash the older engines
And all my servants are leaving
Imagination gone packing
Cant find the wound from where Im bleeding
Hes just a nut and hes cracking
Hammer goes down
Brakes all scream
Me and a couple of empty carriages
Slide down hill still
Next stop bad dreamsville
Think Im going south for the winter
Me train running low on soul coal.
song performed by by Xtc

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Train Running Low On Soul Coal
Me train running low on soul coal
They push+pull tactics are driving me loco
They shouldnt do that no no no
They shouldnt do that
Me train running low on dream steam
They pull me whistle too hard me bound to scream
And they shouldnt do that no no no
They shouldnt do that
Think Im going south for the winter
Think Im going mad in this hinterland
Between young and old
Im a thirty year old puppy doing what Im told
And Im told theres no more coal
For the older engines
Me train running low on soul coal
Think Im going south for the winter
Think Im going west and my sprinters speed
Is reduced to a crawl
My rails went straight, but straight into the wall
Its the wall on which they dash the older engines
And all my servants are leaving
Imagination gone packing
Cant find the wound from where Im bleeding
Hes just a nut and hes cracking
Hammer goes down
Brakes all scream
Me and a couple of empty carriages
Slide down hill still
Next stop bad dreamsville
Think Im going south for the winter
Me train running low on soul coal.
song performed by by Xtc

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Dreams...Rivers Of The Night
Dreams are rivers of the night
A place in which the mind shakes free
The conscious bands that hold us tight
And sails us out into mystery
Maiden voyages into seas so deep
Vivid montages of experience strange
Not bound by banks within to keep
Nor limits set within to range
Suspension of reason, dwells in the night
Helplessly carried upon dreams cold river
Exposed to experience, never allowed in daylight
Strange deeds, strange thoughts, make us shiver
If Dreams are rivers of the night
Then what are days, just what might they be?
Which one is false…and which is right?
And in which one would you rather be?
For who can say beyond a doubt
Which is reality and which is not
Is awake really being up and about
Or is dreaming of being awake… our lot
If Dreams are rivers of the night
Then could days be dreams of another kind?
Could the rivers of the night be the true and the right
And days a nightmare to which we’re blind
Dreams are rivers of the night
That’s what most people would say
Tell me I‘m dreaming…show me the light
It seems like a nightmare…show me the way
poem by David Whalen

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Blood, Milk & Sky
The siren sings a
Lonely song of all the
Wants and hungers
The lust of love a brute
Desire - the ledge of life
Goes under - divide the
Dream into the flesh
Kaleidoscope and -
Candle eyes - empty
Winds scrape on the
Soul - but never stop
To realize -
Animal whisperings
Intoxicate the night
Hypnotize the deperate
Slow motion light - wash
Away into the rain
Blood, milk and sky
Hollow moons illuminate
And beauty never dies
Running wild running blind
I breathe the body deep
1,000 years beside myself
I do not sleep - seduce
The world it never
Screams dead water lies
Ride the only one who
Knows - beauty never dies
song performed by by Rob Zombie

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Train
Writers: leo sayer & david courtney
Running through my life
Like a river, like a song
Train keeps pushing me
Right back to the place where I belong...
Back along the tracks
Fly a million years
Right across my path
Train moves on ringing in my ears...
Come on board
Come on board
Train, oh train, take me back, again
I remember, I remember, take me back
Train, oh train, the journey ends and starts again
I remember, I remember, I remember
Ive been up all night trying to get this down
Now Im hallucinating
Staring at the wall look what Im creating...
Look at the clock Im twelve hours old
So many more remain
Way up ahead I know I see a train...
Come on board
Come on board
Train, oh train, all those memories, all over again
I remember, I remember, take me back
Train, oh train, the journey ends and starts again
I remember, I remember, I remember
Waited on the station all day
Just to see a glimpse of the morning train
Just to see the wheels turning round
Blowing up steam,
See what I mean,
You see what I mean...
song performed by by Leo Sayer

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Blood Milk And Sky (live)
chanting in tongues)
The siren sings a lonly song
Of all the wants and hungers
The lust of love a brute desire
The ledge of life goes under
Divide the dream into the flesh
Kaleidoscope and candle eyes
Empty winds scrape on the soul
But never stop to realize
Animal whisperings
Intoxicate the night
Hypnotize the desperate
Slow motion light
Wash away into the rain
Blood, milk and sky
Hollow moons illuminate
And beauty never dies
Running wild, running blind
In the body deep
A thousand years beside myself
I do not sleep
Seduce the world at rest
Dead water lies
Ride the only one who knows
Beauty never dies
song performed by by White Zombie

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Running Blind
Cant find the answers
Ive been crawling on my knees
Looking for anything
To keep me from drowning
Promises have been turned to lies
Can't even be honest inside
Now Im running backward
Watching my life wave me goodbye
Running blind
Im running blind
Somebody help me see Im running blind
Searching for nothing
Wondering if I'll change
Im trying everything
But everything still stays the same
I thought if I showed you I could fly
Wouldn't need anyone by my side
Now I'm running backward
With broken wings I know Ill die
Running blind
Im running blind
Somebody help me see Im running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
I can't find the answers
I've been crawling on my knees
Looking for anything
To keep me from drowning
I'm running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
Running blind
song performed by by Godsmack

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Waiting For Love
I always wait echoes of the bell of the last train,
On an old bench, with love, my ancient friend,
Patiently, I often read 'Gone With The Wind',
Though, I keep forgetting the deceptive end.
The sun leaves a yellow smile on the platform,
Light precedes the breathless shades into east,
Umbrella-like shade on two bare sticks chuckles,
Then manages to creep to me as a tamed beast.
The cold mist blurs the scene frequently on time,
All love when it prevails to hide their loneliness,
The station, the bell, the rails and the only being.
The quiet distances unfetter infections of sadness.
Nothing in place cools nor awakens heavy-eyed
The bell have no desire to ring for the uncertain
Of exiled hopes venturing to read one more page,
Thus are eternally left in the world's dim curtain.
I can't close the book where she retires unhurt,
Her beauty streams lively on frozen dark words,
I see her continually in fields, on breasts of earth,
Running before melodies, lilies and happy birds.
poem by Jamal Abboud

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Exit strategy
Exit strategy
~
Lets empty the bank account
and walk to the station
board the first train we see
ride off into nowhere
where rails of mystery beckon
journey becomes adventure
wherever we end up
we could board another train
and ride further rails
or find a room for the night
it doesn't have to be special
just a place to rest and sleep
a bed and a warm meal
then tomorrow, same again
or some sightseeing
lets travel for a while
leave our worries behind
in a closed bank account
poem by Matthew Holloway

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Obsession
We sit in your room
So dark and strange
With yellow candles
Burning straight
Outside it rains
So silver and bright
A glaring light
Crashed into the sky
Its just the way it should be
Its so right as rain
Its just the way it should be
Its so right as rain
We stayed awake at night
With vision so unreal
We stayed awake at night
With visions so ideal
Its got a hold on me
Its got a hold on me
Smiles and voices suddenly changed
Eyes and shadows on a distance too short
Is there someone who I know ?
Is there someone at all ?
Is there someone who I know ?
Is there someone I called ?
Its just the way it should be
Its so right as rain
Its just the way it should be
Its so right as rain
We stayed awake at night
With vision so unreal
We stayed awake at night
With visions so ideal
So when the rain comes running in your eyes
And the wind shakes the forest leaves
We stayed awake at night
With visions so unreal
We stayed awake at night
With visions so ideal
Its got a hold on me
song performed by by Xymox

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Joy on the Trains at Jubilee Time
At the station, the platform is packed.
Soon our train is heading down the track.
As our London-bound train slowly approaches,
I am surprised by the evident lack of coaches.
The ensuing rush to get on, is all rather manic.
The Guard blows his whistle and everyone panics.
Upon the platform, there's soon no one left,
But many new passengers are out of breath.
Once onboard, there is standing room only:
There's certainly no chance of being lonely.
Of vacant seats, I see there is a major lack,
So I stand, holding on to the luggage rack.
Some people are huddled up by the doors,
Whilst others plump for a seat on the floor.
At the next station, they don't release all the doors:
Our already packed train can only take a few more.
By the time that our train reaches Woking,
It's a real nightmare - I wish I was joking,
But passengers are left abandoned on the platform:
Their faces disappointed, they all look so forlorn.
I overhear a number of passengers complain
About the distinct lack of carriages on our train.
During my journey, I spend most of my time
Thinking up sentences which, nicely, rhyme.
By the time our train pulls in to Waterloo,
With my new poem, I am almost through.
We're ten minutes late and the Guard explains
This was due to passengers boarding the train.
When I head home again, it is getting quite late.
And the number of carriages now totals eight.
No one is standing: everybody has a seat.
I travel home in comfort. Oh, what a treat!
poem by Angela Wybrow

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Train Song
I try to recall what it was you said to me just then
But this train keeps on rocking me back to sleep
And i fear come tomorrow i won't even remember your name
I'd make myself remember
Make myself recall
But these promises and these vows i made you now
Seem to have no voice at all
The color of the canyons
When first it was said i love you
But these colors and these canyons
Now all seem silly and small
I don't understand at all
How these colors in my memory just fade
Into such a pale shade of grey
And cold rails remind me of your cold feet
And my eyes expect to see you behind every door
But when i shut my eyes
I can't even recall what it is that you wore
My god was that only yesterday
I can't even remember your face
I feel so far away
I make myself remember
Make myself recall
But these promises and these vows i made you now
Seem to have no voice at all
The color of the canyons
When first it was said i love you
But these colors and these canyons
Now all seem silly and small
I don't understand at all
How these colors in my memory just fade away
Into such a pale shade of grey
*i say to myself my god i used to love him
I wanted to share with him my womb and my world
But now i stare at him as though through a glass wall
I say i used to love him but now i feel nothing for him at all
My god how could this be
Won't you please explain this to me
Now sleep sings to me in a sweet and urgent voice
And i fear that i have no choice but to forget these flowers
These daisies you gave me, the offerings you made me
The vows that we swore by, swearing we'd be together
Always and forever, the children we named and now we'll never have
And i know i'm supposed to meet you
I don't even think i'll remember your name tomorrow
I make myself remember
Make myself recall
But these promises and these vows i made you now
Seem to have no voice at all
The color of the canyons
When first it was said i love you
But these colors and these canyons
Now all seem silly and small
I don't understand at all
How these colors in my memory just fade away
Into such a pale shade of grey
song performed by by Jewel

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Travellers gallery
Travellers gallery
~
welcome to the travellers gallery
the windows frame a world
from water coloured rivers
to pastel forests and fields
sketched out towns spread out
between charcoal cities
nameless people, faces
all passing in a hurry
the travellers gallery presents
a life in motion exhibition
all in natural hue colour
by bus, train or car
the landscape and portraits
become ingrained in memory
welcome to the travellers gallery
poem by Matthew Holloway

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Im Awake Now
Ive been where the river ran
Im drownin in a sunless sea
Sleep has helped me find my end
You promised me youd set me free
Dont fall asleep to dream
A banshees at my window pane
Theres an angel at my feet
Dont fall asleep to dream
Im awake now
(you cant touch me, I wont sleep no more)
Awake now
In the corner of my mind
Where he sits and waits for me
Theres a wall of confusion building
And the sky begins to bleed on me
Dont fall asleep to dream
Im looking for a way out now
Peace of mind is all I need
Dont fall asleep to dream
Im awake now
(you cant touch me, I wont sleep no more)
Awake now
(you cant touch me, I wont sleep no more)
Awake now
(you cant touch me, I wont sleep no more)
Awake now
Awake now
Awake now
Awake now
Awake now
song performed by by Goo Goo Dolls

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The homebound night train whistles
There he goes home carrying holey bags full of hopes
After the eternal struggle.
Though it's an express train the kind Engine driver stops at every station as he doesn't want to leave the passengers in the darkness.
But some they do not encourage the delay.
Through the dim lights in the compartment he recognizes his friends.
Some with gray beards and walking sticks.
He secretly looks at the window pane through his thick glasses
And realizes that he too become old gradually.
He deeply think of his family
Already they must have come to the village ruined station and wait at the platform eagerly.
It seemed to be a re-union but he has to come back on the same train some other day to fight with the decaying life again.
poem by Nimal Dunuhinga

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