Capitol Corridor
The Capitol Corridor moves heavily through the dark,
crossing the thinly guarded streets, blaring, berating
impatient drivers waiting for flashing poles, sparking
their rage as they glare at watches. The ground shakes,
rolling earthquake, Cyclop's eye, headlight throbbing, crushing
bright straight rails, pounding diesel relentlessly hauling
into no-man's land, receding rails guarded only by brush
and grassy grade and two white wooden crosses, with a basketball
and a balloon for the lost children; caught in the sweep of flashing lights,
they first saw the flash, then felt pain, and then blackness swallowed them whole,
the suicide, the missed warning, the lost opportunity, the crying
mother searching deserted tracks. But tonight nobody's here, no
despairing child, drifting, desultory, home no longer an option; and so
undeterred, the silver and blue train rolls heavily on to Sacramento.
poem by Steven Federle
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Related quotes
Southern Pacific
Down the mountainside
To the coastline
Past the angry tide
The mighty diesel whines.
And the tunnel comes
And the tunnel goes
Round another bend
The giant drivers roll.
I rode the highball
I fired the daylight
When I turned sixty-five
I couldnt see right.
It was mr. jones,
Weve got to let you go
Its company policy
Youve got a pension though.
Roll on, southern pacific
On your silver rails
On your silver rails
Roll on, southern pacific
On your silver rails
Through the moonlight.
I put in my time
I put in my time
Now Im left to roll
Down the long decline.
I aint no brake man
Aint no conductor
But I would be though
If I was younger.
Roll on, southern pacific
On your silver rails
On your silver rails
Roll on, southern pacific
Roll on, on your silver rails.
song performed by by Neil Young
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Guarded from sexual pleasure
My parents, uncles and aunts guarded me,
My brothers, sisters and cousins guarded me,
My husband and his members guarded me,
My colleagues and neigbours guarded me
And my children, nephews and nieces guarded me
Against my pleasure that men could give me.
23.12.2009.
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
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Night was coming
Night was coming
with a piercing huge orange sun
breaking through
white and black clouds
in the west.
It found a gap
and the sun was hanging
like a orange ball
above the street
and it was blinding.
Cars passed barely visible
above the orange glare
and some had already
turned their lights on.
The sun dipped down
below some trees
and for a time
it glowed behind them
and soon it would be dark
and the first stars
were already appearing
and a full yellow moon
was rising,
but below bright lights
was already burning
right across the city
in colours of amber
streetlights
green, yellow and red
traffic lights,
blue lights flashing
on police cars
and almost every bright colour
caught on neon signs
while people came and went
to different destinations
some smiling and relaxed,
others in a hurry
and some others
locked in a world of their own.
poem by Gert Strydom
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Flashing, Flashing Lights
rays of flashing lights, flashing in the dead of night
so I screwed up and pulled the red handle, the screaming fire alarm sounds off, so I figured it was a water line, yet no, a dry air system, so I summoned the guard, my racing heart beating hard, flashing lights, alarm silenced, yet lights still flashing, flashing into the night
poem by Matt Mondschein
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Where's Gerrold
You're light bright and animated
A demolition color scheme mismatched and complicated
Who put the hex on mr x
Living in a bigtop dimension
You're the stalker of the mini world
Trapped in wonder land suspension
Transmissions from the micronaut girl
Where are you now
And we'd like to think you found your own way home
On your own
Where's gerrold now
You're a visual illusion like christmas
A trend setter for the color blind
A think fast solution, no way out
Washed away with the crimson tide
Transglobal spectacle with post mortem fame
Popsicle canibal
Can you hear me
Rainbow dementia smiles everyone smiles
The small realities a pixie playland
Can you find yourself in bright lights flashing lights
Cover my eyes i'm feeling sick
I'm getting paranoid
Find yourself
With bright lights flashing
Bright lights flashing i'm feeling paranoid
song performed by by Orgy
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Funeral Train
Funeral Train
Waiting around,
for a funeral train in Chester,
and I don't feel it's coming round.
I heard my mother,
crying in the kitchen,
doing her best not to make a sound.
And I could lay on the rails or set my sails,
or clench my fists again,
maybe put my guns away.
Remembering you and what you wanted.
All that we stood for.
How can I walk away?
From these,
home dreams,
and half broken bridges,
that you wouldn't dare to burn down.
And it's,
old friends,
who tell you you're not alone,
and then they never come around.
I know now that I can't win,
when there's nothing left to lose.
It's only revenge.
And Lord, we’ve tried and tried,
but the future died for me,
in a hotel in LA.
Someday, one day, can’t catch a break.
Spend half my life on a line in a factory.
Waiting for some fresh air.
In these,
home dreams,
and half broken bridges,
that you wouldn't dare to burn down.
And it's,
old friends,
who tell you you're not alone,
and then they never come around.
I stood with my neighborhood.
Lined along the tracks,
on the saddest day.
I heard my mother,
crying in the kitchen,
and I put my guns away.
I can see,
if you show me,
right from wrong.
All I need,
all I need,
is a friend to say that it's alright.
poem by Judd David
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Railroad Lady
By: jimmy buffett, jerry jeff walker
1973
Shes a railroad lady
Just a little bit shady
Spendin her days on the trains
Shes a semi-good looker
But the fast rails they took er
Now shes tryin, just tryin to get home again
South station in boston to the freightyards of austin
From the florida sunshine to the new orleans rain
Now that the railpacks
Has taken the best tracks
Shes tryin, just tryin to get home again
Shes a railroad lady
Just a little bit shady
Spendin her life on a train
Once a pullman car traveller
Now the brakeman wont have er
Shes tryin, just tryin to get home again
Once a high ballin loner he thought he could own er
Bought her a fur and a big diamond ring
She hocked em for cold cash
Left town on the wabash
Never thinkin, never thinkin of home way back then
But the rails are now rusty
The dinin cars dusty
Gold plated watches have taken their toll
Yeah the railroads are dyin
And the lady shes cryin
On a bus to kentucky and home thats her goal
Shes a railroad lady
Just a little bit shady
Spendin her life on a train
Shes a semi-good looker
But the fast rails they took er
Now shes tryin, just tryin to get home again
Coda:
Yes on a bus to kentucky and home once again
song performed by by Jimmy Buffett
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Pounding
pounding, pounding nails,
pounding heartbeats, pounding feet.
pounding voices, pounding anger,
pounding need, pounding greed.
hungry, hungry eyes,
hungry souls, hungry holes.
hungry children, hungry countries,
hungry hands, hungry man.
throbbing, throbbing blood,
throbbing dreams, throbbing schemes.
throbbing ideas, throbbing hatred,
throbbing inside, throbbing cant hide.
touching, touching hearts,
touching true, touching you.
touching forbidden, touching daring,
touching color, touching wonder.
pounding, pounding nails...
poem by Eric Cockrell
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Padang
Earth which has been brought
to the base of the great respect on
heard crying explain terrible secret
frightened faces of the mother, brothers beloved
children, the fathers, loved ones
other brothers
that has been lost and feel lost
The tragedy touched my heart
crouch sense of melancholy, sad
though there are boundaries
you one on earth
give a loyalty sympathy and prayers
wisdom that the earth trembled a awareness
and crying in the splitting field
none compliant piety coalesce shaky
poles were erected centuries confident
more powerful receiving conditions
there crying, I heard
God's suffering from the field test
flashing cup of faith.
poem by Hasyuda Abadi
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Welsh Highland Railway
A belch of smoke and steam,
and a whistle wail
we move with a clickty-clack along the rails.
Then with the train then gathering speed,
our journey begins with more whistle wails.
The carriage throws us around this way and that
as the old steam train rolls down the track.
Visions of happy days gone by,
with billowing smoke and steam.
Fragrancing the air on our ride
of nostalgic days and old ways.
As we ride the rails on a train
of the Welsh Highland Railway.
poem by David Harris
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And there is the headlight, shining far down the track, glinting off the steel rails that, like all parallel lines, will meet in infinity, which is after all where this train is going.
quote by Bruce Catton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Far Over The City
Far over the city I saw the lightning bolt flashing,
instantaneous energy that remains on the inner eye
before the branching of it was suddenly withering
where it disappeared from the dark night sky
and after that thunderclap silence reigned
in the deserted streets, as if everything living was lost
as if the storm had it’s forming resigned
until another blazing bolt was tossed.
poem by Gert Strydom
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Mixed Three Liners
winter blue
a flash of white
on taxi's top
daymoon
sounds of scissors
from impatient barber
soon
a river that wont
reflect the moon
irked by her
constant shouts
to keep children quiet
storm
the gods paint
the whole sky grey
end-of-world news
the old lady
farts
power failure
lovers in bed
unfazed
after not meeting
for 20 years, recognising him
only by his goatee
after dinner -
the upbeat children
in the field
silver wedding anniversary
the guests ask whether
their divorced son has married
clinic
against the be-quiet sign
the mother shouts at her crying child
silver wedding anniversary
divorced son gives toast to
dad as role model
cricket's shrill
our warm conversation
in the japanese pub
poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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Villanelle: The Asian Tsunami Dec 26th,2004
Women, children and men-Why swallowed thee?
With waters briny, blue and beautiful;
The home of fishes most, O hallowed Sea!
The happy isles of paradise beauty,
Now look so battered, flattened and woeful;
Women, children and men-Why swallowed Thee?
Perhaps, you acted with insanity!
The havoc caused to mankind is painful;
The home of fishes most, O hallowed Sea!
Perhaps, it was just one calamity!
The land seems bruised, so gloomy and awful;
Women, children and men-Why swallowed Thee?
The missing ones are umptine- what pity!
The persons saved looked rather sorrowful;
The home of fishes most, O hallowed Sea!
In death also, man lost his dignity!
Man paid his price for being not careful;
Women, children and men-Why swallowed Thee?
The home of fishes most, O hallowed Sea!
poem by John Celes
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(Waiting For) The Ghost Train
A straw headed woman, and a barrel chested man,
A pocket full of posies with a hat brim full of sand,
Ooh - waiting for the train that never comes,
A dog chasing the tumbleweeds, across the sandy floor,
That drift along the platform, through the ticket office door,
Ooh - waiting for the train that never comes,
Ooh - waiting for the train that never comes,
But don't tell me there's nothing coming, you don't fool me,
I hear the ghost train rumbling along the tracks - set them free,
And I hear them,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
The station master's writing with a piece of orange chalk,
A hundred cancellations, still no one wants to walk,
Keep the hungry children from the skeletons in the back,
Paid to keep an eye out for the gipsy caravan,
Ooh - waiting for the train that never comes,
Ooh - waiting for the train that never comes,
I hear the ghost train rumbling along the tracks - set them free,
And I hear them,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white (don't try),
It's black and white (don't try),
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
And I hear them,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white don't try to hide
song performed by by Madness
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Ghost Train
A straw headed woman, and a barrel chested man,
A pocket full of posies with a hat brim full of sand,
Ooh - waiting for the train that never comes,
A dog chasing the tumbleweeds, across the sandy floor,
That drift along the platform, through the ticket office door,
Ooh - waiting for the train that never comes,
Ooh - waiting for the train that never comes,
But don't tell me there's nothing coming, you don't fool me,
I hear the ghost train rumbling along the tracks - set them free,
And i hear them,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
The station master's writing with a piece of orange chalk,
A hundred cancellations, still no one wants to walk,
Keep the hungry children from the skeletons in the back,
Paid to keep an eye out for the gipsy caravan,
Ooh - waiting for the train that never comes,
Ooh - waiting for the train that never comes,
I hear the ghost train rumbling along the tracks - set them free,
And i hear them,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white (don't try),
It's black and white (don't try),
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
And i hear them,
It's black and white don't try to hide,
It's black and white don't try to hide...
song performed by by Madness
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Modest Jazz-Bird
The Jazz-bird sings a barnyard song—
A cock-a-doodle bray,
A jingle-bells, a boiler works,
A he-man's roundelay.
The eagle said, 'My noisy son,
I send you out to fight!'
So the youngster spread his sunflower wings
And roared with all his might.
His headlight eyes went flashing
From Oregon to Maine;
And the land was dark with airships
In the darting Jazz-bird's train.
Crossing the howling ocean,
His bell-mouth shook the sky;
And the Yankees in the trenches
Gave back the hue and cry.
And Europe had not heard the like—
And Germany went down!
The fowl of steel with clashing claws
Tore off the Kaiser's crown.
poem by Vachel Lindsay
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Down the seafront tonight - Pinewood Royal
Tall ships in the harbour
Waiting for a sailing far away
Stones across the water
Herring gulls drifting across the bay
Painted lady in the garden
The Blackcap sings from early dawn
The warm air slumbers
Soothing the Trevello Lawn
On the red cliffs of The Berry
The lighthouse shines till early dawn
We're going down
Down to the sea front tonight
We're going down
Down to the sea front tonight
We're going down to where the lights, the lights are shining bright
On the sea front you can see the rows of coloured lights
We're going down
Down to the sea front tonight
We're going down
Down to the sea front tonight
Just you and I
The bright lights sparkle
On the sea front walking by
The ice cream parlour
Fairground rides and coconut shy
Ocean going liners
Cabin lights blazing wave goodbye
White horses in the moonlight
Constellations across the sky
Red glow from leaded windows
A summer's evening in July
We're going down
Down to the sea front tonight
We're going down
Down to the sea front tonight
We're going down to where the lights, the lights are shining bright
On the sea front you can see the rows of coloured lights
We're going down
Down to the sea front tonight
We're going down
Down to the sea front tonight
Just you and I
poem by GuyPaul MitchellDwelly
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Chaos At The Airport
I was driving out to meet you that night
Getting reports on the weather
You were coming home, had caught the last flight
But we would soon be together
Youd been gone such a long time
When my radio gave the warning
Chorus:
Chaos at the airport tonight, something ain t right
No-one can land in the weather
Planes are crashing out of control
And all in all I think youve lost him forever
Looking up I started searching the skies
Was he still up there above me
Was the man whod waved a million goodbyes
Now just a stranger who loved me
But as I drove to the terminal sign
I heard a great loud explosion
Chorus
I ran so, so fast but if I could only reach you
But youre so far away, youre oh so far away
Landing lights approaching
Out from a sea of darkness
But youre so far away, youre oh so far away
Like a bird of death it hovered around
Until the wheels started turning
Then I saw the jets just touching the ground
And I could see it recurring
And as I looked for the last time
My radio gave the warning
song performed by by Kim Wilde
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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On The Rails
Phew! This department if so unbearably stifling,
The whole populace is frantically rifling,
Through loads of clothes, hanging up for inspection,
Either for your acceptance, or for your rejection,
On the rails,
At the Sales!
The available sizes left, are eight's and eighteen's,
In shirts, blouses, jumpers and denim blue jeans,
Bra cups in E's and F's and G's.
Skirts so short, they ride way above the knees,
What sort of 'shapes' are these stores expecting,
What choice, have we, when it comes to selecting,
From the rails,
At the Sales!
It's a manic crush, and there's really no mistaking,
Fighting over, items' that aren't worth the taking,
Like that half price dress, that was less than you thought,
But that someone else has just grabbed and has bought,
So quick, and you being just a little bit too slack,
You have lost it, and it won't now be yours, with diamante in black,
Off the rails,
At the Sales!
Oh! It's a battle, and such a mad struggle to survive,
And in the end, it takes so many hours to revive,
Your senses, and days like this one can be so tiring,
When buying these bargains, which you have stood there admiring,
Hung on rails,
At the Sales!
poem by Ernestine Northover
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