The Locomotive

Hear the lonesome whistle blow, it echoes across the vast Continental divide, connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Coastal shores, by the steel rails iron horse. It raged in blazing thunder, leaving a storm cloud of white Smoke in it's wake. Lightning's hell speed, drives this devil's steed, with flames Fire, feeding it's belly, by coal and sinews muscled sweat. The wrought iron beast emerges, from the black pitch of night, It's sharpen wheels of harden metal, cut, slicing through the Raw flesh of mother earth, leaving her bleeding crimson red. Bound and shackled, is this monstrous man-made beast, Held captive, by the leg irons of progress. Men covered in soot and ash, tend to the heart and hearth, Of this demon bringing forth greed's prosperity. Greased and oiled, pistons push gears, driving this seemingly Living creation, of mechanical engineering, lit are it's eyes of Fire, burning through the blackness of night. The engineer holding the throttle to the floor, Praying to God, he'll see the sun's dawning Once more. Tribal chieftains stand tall on a grassy knoll, Observing the iron horse below, as the eagle Soars above, shedding it's feathers in mid airs flight. As the weeping woman cries, for her people, For she alone, realizes what is it come. The mighty buffalo, roam freedoms open Tundra, as a herd of millions, soon to be Nothing but dust shadows, phantom ghosts Legendary beasts hunted by the native braves. Around the sacred camp fires of old these Ancient story's of the courageous hunters, shall Be retold to generation to come. The mighty Buffalo are brought to the brink of Extinction by the long rifles of the white mans gun. Yet these white devils still come, like a tidal wave, Washing the prairies beauty away. Hear the lonesome whistle blow, it Echoes across the vast continental divides, Connecting the Atlantic and Pacific coastal Shores, by the steel rails iron horse. BY: CHERYL ANNA DUNN