Westbound

A picture’s worth a thousand words Screaming to be spoken Flowers and chocolate say hello My aching heart is broken Painted word pictures Of flowers framed in chocolate Read on a train by men down on their luck Clatter of rail ends enjoining on ties Providing a background of rhythm for lies Hearing a melody humming along Painted word pictures becoming a song Memories of good times and battered old trucks Bottles in bags and an old deck of cards Sardines and crackers and light from the yards They joke with each other to know they’re not dead Five men all riding a roll away bed