Keep Holding On

When I ride 'pon a train through the mist and the rain, I assure you it's bound for a singular place. Such joy to forget where you've been; what a gain! But tell me, my friend: where's the end of your race? And what turns the wheels, after all, may I ask? Dreams of hot steam fed by fires within? Surely you see there's a daunt-bringing task: to decipher directions again and again. As you move down the tracks, I can see in your eyes, the armies of questions and forces of doubt, whispering in the dark as you tell yourself lies, hoping you'll stand fast when your heart seeks to rout. Phantoms of the past will never be gone, but endure, my friend. Keep holding on. Written for "The Poet's Ear" contest, sponsored by Greg Barden 23 July 2017 Holding Back the Years, Simply Red, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG07WSu7Q9w