The Journey

Sight.
Sound.
Smell.
Taste.
The trains.
The tracks.
The rush, the haste.
The sweeties and toffees,
Newspapers and coffees,
Cases and bags, e-cigs and fags,
Pasty and tanned, iphone in hand,
The people who come and the people who go
And the Taxis that wait, as you cannot be late -
Spill out men in their ties, College kids in tie-dyes,
End of termers returning to their seat of learning,
The screeching of brakes and the slamming of doors, 
From the ‘barely awakes’ and the ‘ready to go’s -
The good lucks and goodbyes, fears and tears in the eyes, 
And the hugs that don’t end and the texts that they’ll send,
The lovers, the losers, the shakers and movers, the gap-year beginners and ‘nothing to prove’rs -
Step right into the mouth of the train as it stands, hoping this journey syncs with the ticket in hand -
To all points of the compass; South, West, East and North,
The disparate throng fast shuddering forth,
Frozen of face, their personal space.
Typical of the human race.
Lost in the crowd, all heads bowed.
Silent fears, screaming loud …..
Break out the ‘Hello’s -
And ban ‘Goodbye’
Journeys end
Hovers,
Nigh.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2015

Poem

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A. Sharma Avatar
September 1, 2015 at 1:53 AM
Wonderful write and a superb win! Big congrats Bill!
Cwiak Avatar
August 11, 2015 at 6:04 AM
Great win with this one!
Lindsay Avatar
August 11, 2015 at 9:27 AM
Thanks Dan ... I enjoyed writing it! ;)
Inman Avatar
August 10, 2015 at 7:25 AM
Great poem, enjoyed the read. Welcome!
Lindsay Avatar
August 10, 2015 at 1:57 PM
Thanks, James - hopefully more to come ;)
A. Sharma Avatar
August 10, 2015 at 1:09 AM
Brilliant take Bill, Congrats on first place win!U took us to the splendid train journey!
Lindsay Avatar
August 10, 2015 at 1:58 PM
Thank you so much - hopefully more to come ;)
Allison Avatar
August 9, 2015 at 5:20 PM
wow what a journey we went on many congrats Bill - love the creative form you used here too:-) hugs jan xx
Lindsay Avatar
August 10, 2015 at 1:58 PM
Thanks Jan, it was a real pleasure to write ;)
Roper Avatar
August 9, 2015 at 1:04 PM
Wonderful write, Bill, congratulations on your win Hugs eve
Lindsay Avatar
August 10, 2015 at 1:57 PM
Thanks, Eve ... ;)
Lawless Avatar
August 9, 2015 at 8:33 AM
Well Bill, you certainly sounded the whistle in this one....ALL ABOARD.....pretty well covered the gamut of riders on a train. This reads like a "people watchers" guide. Welcome to the Soup you have made quite an entrance.
Lindsay Avatar
August 9, 2015 at 8:37 AM
Thank you, John - but how to top it?
A  Avatar
August 4, 2015 at 9:22 PM
Bill, Congratulations on having your poem featured this week. **SKAT**
Lindsay Avatar
August 10, 2015 at 2:00 PM
Bless you ;)
Rebstock Avatar
August 4, 2015 at 7:43 AM
Very clever interesting write. Enjoyed
Lindsay Avatar
August 1, 2015 at 5:32 AM
Thanks, everyone - it's an encouragement for a beginner ;)
Nunez Avatar
August 1, 2015 at 3:55 AM
Loved the image, cadence and the rhyme. Loved your first post. I checked your list and wow...Prolific! Welcome to PoetrySoup, Bill! Keep posting and start visiting other pages to be an encouragement as well. Kim
Lindsay Avatar
July 29, 2015 at 4:22 AM
I closed my eyes and remembered every train I enjoyed in my youth; the rhythm was particularly soothing and lent itself beautifully to the poem. WH Auden was obviously captured by it. Thanks for the encouragement ;)
Lindsay Avatar
July 29, 2015 at 4:17 AM
A 'nod' to WH Auden's 'This is the Night Train'
A   Avatar
July 26, 2015 at 10:17 PM
Hi Bill, A nice warm WELCOME to poetry soup. I hope you have fun with this wonderful community. You'll find many friendly poets who are ready to support and give positive feedback. I will enjoy following you and your poetry when you are ready :) We are Lucky To Have you. Enjoy Poetry Soup:) Your New Poet Friend @-> LINDA <-@
A  Avatar
July 26, 2015 at 1:43 PM
Bill, Welcome to Poetry Soup. It will be a delight to read and become familiar with your poems in the future. As for now, I will greet you with the same smile others passed when I first joined the soup. Wishing you and your poetry the best. I hope you get to meet all the nice poets around here STARTING with me- SKAT :-) Please drop a hello and tell me a little about yourself if you wish. I would like to be your newest poetry soup "FRIEND" Hugs* SKAT
Lindsay Avatar
July 29, 2015 at 4:27 AM
Hi Skat! I couldn't work out how to respond, but at last the 'reply' option has appeared ! Apparently, I cannot post a bio, so you'll have to work me out via my work for now ... but I am in my 50's, married with 5 children and 10 gchildren. A full-time carer for my dear wife and a Magistrate in my local community, my special gift is proofreading. You are my 1st PS Pal x
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