Listen to poem:

Taking the train

It’s 6.43am, 
I’m awaiting my train.
I tune into the station,
Listening to the invisible spring birds 
Belting a Beltane call and response;
A syncopation in freewheeling jazz tracks.
Dipperty-dee, dipperty-dar,
Dipperty-dee, dipperty-dar,

I alight the shining lines,
Slide into my seat.
Watch the sun seep up and over rooves,
The rumble and tumble of the dustbin lorry,
Barking dogs, 
People in a hurry,
Mobile but fixated by scrolling truths -
Reels of what's new, what's circumstantial,
And rolling news of worlds financial.
Woo-ah woo!

I'm borrowed fleeting glances
Of dolls house windows of toy town houses,
The click and flick of kettles
As the busyness of the new day blinks in.
Full steam ahead!
Clickerty-click, clickety-clack, 
Clickety-click, clickety-clack.

Then a pause.
A beeperty-beep, and a whoosh of the doors
As they slide open.
An improvisation of passengers board,
Spilling into the carriages with costa-lot coffees,
Half full.
Commuting, suited and booted into the city.
Electricity!
With a murmuration, they're away from the station.
Dipperty-dee, dipperty-dar,
Dipperty-dee, dipperty-dar,
Copyright © | Year Posted 2026

Poem

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Radice Avatar
April 14, 2026 at 12:33 AM
I felt fully immersed in your poem and wrapped up in your beautifully observed description of UK early morning commuter train travel Rachel. The whole piece was enhanced by how you recited your words. (beautifully by the way) but with an air of deliberate mundaneness that both adds to and reflects such journeys. I also love train poems :) Cheers - Gary
Treacher Avatar
April 14, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Thank you, Gary for your thoughtful feedback. I am so pleased you 'got' what I wanted to share...if only I could have added an intercity 125 double horn blast! Ha ha
Etgen-Baker Avatar
April 9, 2026 at 4:23 PM
fabulous imagery and energy in your poem.
Treacher Avatar
April 9, 2026 at 10:34 PM
Sara, thank you for takingva look. WH Auden's Night Mail is one of my favourites.
Jones Avatar
April 9, 2026 at 3:35 PM
Great job I felt as if I was on the train! Love your voice!
Treacher Avatar
April 9, 2026 at 10:31 PM
Thank you for listening! I wanted it to disappear off at the end like a train out of sight.
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