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Railway Lines: The Last Train From Soup Central

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Originally published: 21st October 2021

Deleted in error and republished: 28th October 2021

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay.

Chosen as Poetry Soup's POEM OF THE DAY (22nd October 2021)

This poem was placed 1st= in Brian Strand's "A STRAND (Dec 28)" Poetry Contest

how many of you wonder how you find yourself where you are now on some fast train that's shooting by the world outside and don't know why and wishing as it takes the bend before it reaches journey's end that it would stop to let you breathe and disembark and watch it leave so you could turn and walk right back to all those stations on your track to see those places on your list that life's timetable somehow missed and walk the junctions where you spent time deciding ways you went and pull the lever switching lines to make them point to better times and open gates that shut back then so hopes and dreams are free again to help mend all those signal fails you blamed when life came off the rails? although we can't change all before each day we grow and learn some more and had you changed the way you are your train may not have got this far and each dark tunnel lived each day led you to light here anyway while all that grass that lay unseen grew this side too and just as green and having stood on platforms past there's nothing wrong with travelling fast so thinking on if you now know the station that you wish to go then with your faith love, luck and care the train you're on will get you there.

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David Smith

Date: 3/9/2022 10:24:00 PM

Always something new to find in the soup. May that catch phrase never grow stale. Your poems go a long way to ensure that. Thanks for sharing David in NZ

Gary Radice
Date: 3/10/2022 12:55:00 AM

Thank you David - lovely of you to say so. I'm glad you enjoyed the poem. Read you soon. Cheers - Gary

Margarita Lillico

Date: 1/31/2022 1:29:00 AM

Flows like a train of thought! Thank you. M.

Gary Radice
Date: 1/31/2022 11:53:00 AM

Thank you M! Beautifully described. Cheers - Gary

Paula Goldsmith

Date: 12/29/2021 12:04:00 PM

WOW!!! Congratulations on your win. What a wonderful story/write. Over the years, I have thought about this. God has had me every year where He wants me to be. Have a blessed day and New Year 2022...............

Gary Radice
Date: 12/29/2021 12:40:00 PM

Thank you Paula. Your comment had me thinking and ultimately persuaded me to change a word in the 4th line from the end: I've changed the word 'strength' to 'faith'. All the best for The New Year. Cheers - Gary

Connie Marcum Wong

Date: 12/28/2021 1:08:00 PM

A belated congratulations on having this amazing poem chosen for POTD Gary. Your rhyme is sublime in this reflective piece that suggests we appreciate the present. This poem for me is a little masterpiece that offers staying on the right tract to fulfill our goals in life no matter the obstacles. I dearly love it and am putting it into my Faves. Congratulations on your win. Have a wonderful new year. Blessings xxoo

Gary Radice
Date: 12/29/2021 2:07:00 AM

Thank you Connie! It's one of those poems that I spent an age starting but once started, the words just flowed. Thank you for the fave too - I really appreciate it. All the best for The New Year! Cheers - Gary

Christopher Flaherty

Date: 12/7/2021 3:40:00 PM

I do Gary How i do I for 1 certainly do I do know it will get there in the end When the certain someone out there is found to fix and repair the problem in order to stop it from endlessly breaking down

Christopher Flaherty
Date: 12/10/2021 11:50:00 AM

Good Evening Gary Sir I just wrote a poem I thought or hope you may like about both of our hometown called . Good Night Liverpool God Bless Sweet Dreams. May I ask of you will you take the time to read it please

Gary Radice
Date: 12/8/2021 12:54:00 AM

I'm reading you between the lines and totally understand what you are saying Christopher. Cheers - Gary

Paulette Calasibetta

Date: 11/21/2021 9:28:00 AM

Dear Gary, we are driven to achieve a 'destination', but lose sight of the gift of the place we are in. I love this....a great reminder to us all....Stop seeking to seek something we have found; but are unaware. Blessings, Paulette

Gary Radice
Date: 11/21/2021 9:52:00 AM

Paula, you've just summed up beautifully the very idea I wished to convey in my poem: We can all have regrets from the past but sometimes when we strive to get to a better place in the future we dont take the time to appreciate where we are now. Cheers - Gary

Robert James Liguori

Date: 11/2/2021 11:57:00 AM

Wonderful poem... Sorry to see it drop off of poem of the day list, but they gracefully leave the list after thirty days anyhow.... with a clever database write, in theory PS could put it back with your repost. I'm sure they know about the mishap and would do it if then can. Nice poem.

Gary Radice
Date: 11/2/2021 12:31:00 PM

Thanks Robert! It's just nice to know that it was a POTD. I appreciate your great comments. Thanks again. Cheers - Gary

Sara Kendrick

Date: 11/1/2021 3:29:00 AM

It is true if we had made a different choice in our life we would not be the exact same person that we are now. In my case, I don't know if that is good or bad. I am who I am because of what I chose to do in the past even if I regret some of my decisions along life's past. I enjoyed reading this one. I do agree that when we reach the top of the hill life speeds up as we go down the hill. Sara

Gary Radice
Date: 11/1/2021 4:29:00 AM

Thank you Sara. Yes, we are who we are. We are all the product of our past, living in the present with many of us contemplating the future. :) Cheers - Gary

Jo Daniel

Date: 11/1/2021 1:27:00 AM

Amazing poem, Gary, glad you reposted it, love the rhythm of the poem chugging with its four syllable beat:) great message too:) congrats on having won POTD, a worthy choice:)

Gary Radice
Date: 11/1/2021 2:55:00 AM

Thank you Jo! And thanks for your comments on my blog too. Cheers - Gary

Constance La France

Date: 10/29/2021 1:45:00 PM

Gary, I recall reading this when it was POTD, wonderful, so happy you could repost ~ Friendship and Poetry _Constance

Gary Radice
Date: 10/29/2021 2:02:00 PM

Thank you Constance. I've not only saved every poem to Word now but printed them as well just in case my computer malfunctions..or I do :) Cheers - Gary

L MILTON HANKINS

Date: 10/29/2021 11:49:00 AM

Just as wonderful as the first time I read it, Gary. It is even worthy of another go round as P.O.T.D.

Gary Radice
Date: 10/29/2021 12:10:00 PM

Thanks so much Milt. I took the opportunity to tweak it a little - just a couple of words - but it remains a poem I'm proud of. Cheers - Gary

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 10/29/2021 7:43:00 AM

I can see how this got Poem of the Day. So sorry it was derailed, Gary. It's a super well written metaphor for our lives!!

Gary Radice
Date: 10/29/2021 10:29:00 AM

Thank you Andrea for helping the poem get back on track with your lovely comments. Cheers - Gary

Belle Bellevue

Date: 10/28/2021 7:36:00 PM

A delightful read Gary, it’s a pity we can’t go back and revisit life’s railway track. Sometimes to stop and stare and remember the good time we had somewhere, but alas life is not like that, we only get one train ride, it’s a fact. Regards, Belle

Gary Radice
Date: 10/29/2021 1:05:00 AM

Agreed Belle. It's great to have memories though and to be able to look back and think where it went right and where we possibly would have done something different. It seems life, like the trains, gets faster the older we grow. Cheers - Gary

Geoffrey Brewer

Date: 10/28/2021 5:12:00 PM

A brilliant demonstration of the powerful and evocative metaphors that railways and trains express of aspects of our lives. I love it, Gary.

Gary Radice
Date: 10/29/2021 1:02:00 AM

Thank you Geoffrey. I just don't know what it is about trains that fascinate me but it was during a ride my wife and I took to Blackpool a fortnight ago that I had time to think about using a train journey as a metaphor for life's journey. I'm really glad you enjoyed the poem. Cheers - Gary

Terry Flood

Date: 10/28/2021 3:55:00 PM

Glad to see this back, Gary. Damned shame to have possibly lost the POTD link. Maybe admin can sort something out. Still consider it among my favourite poems on Soup. Terry

Gary Radice
Date: 10/28/2021 4:18:00 PM

Thanks for the return ticket Terry. Much appreciated. Cheers - Gary