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Old Hobo Dies Hard

Train whistles still call me in the dead of night recalling wanderlust days of youth, tugging something inside me tight Vacant curiosity of what might have been another place another lifetime remembering when I was free, with nothing to lose but The Sadness I carried overseas (and back again) like a bulky bag of dirty laundry grown large Older now, I thought I'd done my washing dried, pressed, folded put away... And yet- suddenly I feel that familiar weight on my back gunnysack of Sadness fraught with longing daring me to break away for destinations unknown leave today- this temporary madness of suburban ways ____ Even though I'm pretty "settled" at this stage of life, train whistles always stir that restless part of me that refuses to accept that I'm too old to jump up & take off for 'regions unbounded' like I once did...

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Freddie Robinson Jr.

Date: 10/26/2019 6:48:00 AM

Outstanding poem, Rhona! This urban boy lived a good portion of "suburban madness." So I know that "trapped in Pleasantville" feeling. Star bright write. Love and more love always.

Rhona Mcferran
Date: 10/26/2019 4:11:00 PM

Thank you, my friend! I really appreciate your kind encouragement. Much love to you, too! ;)

Richard Lamoureux

Date: 9/13/2019 7:31:00 PM

I have the same feelings around hitchhiking. There is something about the open road and not knowing what is around the next corner. I enjoyed your poem.

Rhona Mcferran
Date: 9/14/2019 10:25:00 AM

Thank you so much! ;)

Caren Krutsinger

Date: 9/11/2019 3:05:00 PM

There is such a sweet nostalgic proactive feel to this one! "Vacant curiosity of what might have been another place another lifetime" Beautiful Rhona.

Rhona Mcferran
Date: 9/11/2019 7:48:00 PM

Aawww, thank you so much, Soul Sister! ;)

M. L. Kiser

Date: 9/10/2019 1:28:00 PM

There's something about trains; I can't put my finger on it but, it's powerful. Beautifully penned.

Rhona Mcferran
Date: 9/10/2019 5:00:00 PM

Thank you so much! ;)

Michelle Faulkner

Date: 8/16/2019 4:29:00 PM

So evocative of my early twenties when I was convinced happiness was always somewhere else - although once in a while still I hear a train whistle and wonder (darn now I will have to write a poem about it)

Rhona Mcferran
Date: 8/17/2019 2:13:00 PM

Ha!! I see this resonates with you, too! Train whistles are made of powerful stuff... ;)

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 8/14/2019 5:07:00 PM

outstanding free verse, Rhona. I wish all writers of free verse used such a good and lucid style as this.

Rhona Mcferran
Date: 8/15/2019 2:14:00 PM

Thank you SO much!! ;) (I am very relieved that you find this "good and lucid"... as my sleep-deprived brain has been so muddled lately that I wasn't entirely sure how it came out!)

Quoth Theraven

Date: 8/14/2019 9:39:00 AM

Rhona, I like this poem. There's something special in train whistle when you can't quite place the direction or distance. -Richard

Rhona Mcferran
Date: 8/15/2019 2:09:00 PM

Thanks, Richard! I see I'm not the only one! ;)