Ten Mile Crossing... This Old Train... All Is Lost

There was a time in this old town, when the train was all one feels,
Rumbling by in the still of the night, to the beat of its driver's wheels.
Rolling slowly through the switch yards, picking up a little steam,
Rushing off into the silence, like a vague remembered dream.
Then out at Ten Mile Crossing, you would hear its whistle scream!

That whistle was so lonesome, that whistle was so long,
It lingered in the ether, when the train was all but gone.
It lingered in the ether, in a long and plaintive cry,
That echoes all the sorrow in the world it's passing by.
As though it knew the agony of those about to die!

There was a time in this old town, when sleep was oft disturbed,
By the rattle and roar of a Highball'er, that would not be deterred.
She rushed past the freight yards, as though the devil were on her tail,
Then out at Ten Mile Crossing, she'd join her sisters wail!

Her whistle was so lonesome, and her whistle was so cold,
It echoed off the mountains and reechoed in your soul!
As though it knew the secret of a thousand tales untold.

It's as if it knew every fear, of which we bury deep,
That visit in the dark times to deny a peaceful sleep.
And though Hell should put up protest,
To its time that engine'd keep!

It's seen fighters and lovers,
So many children blessed.
And every sunrise and every sunset,
That the sun has ever possessed.

It's felt many lonely heart's break,
As they write their last love poem.
And cried a million times, for the lonely hobo,
That never made it home...

Tried hard to forget the beggars,
Praying to be tossed a bone.
Moved heavy of heart on the journey,
For those left out in the cold...alone.

Since its mighty frame was constructed,
Since it ran down its first track.
It's seen what the world has had to offer,
And left it all, still intact.

It's ran for lovers in the summer,
And sinners in the fall.
Food for the poor and destitute,
And cattle for the call.

But there are some who would say,
That this train had one great feat.
'Tis a long and heart breaking story,
So settle in and have a seat...

Now, that winter was a fierce one, all our hearts were hard as stone,
Hard times were coming down, and our men were leaving home.
War time was upon us, our modest town was snowed in,
And the total of our troubles, was all but about to begin.

Those months were slow and lonely, the war was going down hard,
And in the wake of its passing, it left our town cold and scared.
All the women were torn and ragged, for the time they'd spent alone,
But their hearts were slowly warming, their boys were coming home.

Yes, the skies were finally lifting, of the darkness that had fell,
But the fact that we had won the war, was fairly hard to tell.
Everyone waiting in anticipation...they were coming in by rail,
And every ear in Saddened County, listened for that wail.

The train was slowly coming, a few days was all it would take,
But every second of every minute, every women's heart would break.
For the coming of the train, was a thing we all did dread.
For on that train not a breath would be taken, it was bringing home our
dead...

Not a breath would be taken,
Not a single whisper would fall.
For the death toll would tally,
At that engines lonesome call.

The station was sad and lonely, though the crowd had all drawn in,
Each having faded memories...that's just how long it'd been.
Each thinking of love of long ago, returned now on this day,
Of tears that were never shed, and words they could never say...

Now, far off in the distance, the sound of the train was clear,
And the grimace in the conductor's face, was seen from even here.

In the crust invaded mountains, where the cold could freeze bone,
The train kept a comin, it HAD to bring 'em home!
Every yard gained was two lost, the wheels were running cold,
It was running in conditions, in which any other train would fold.

The mountains were steep and treacherous,
The wheels were missing track!
But the engineer was fighting desperately,
And picking up the slack!

The people shouted out,
With anguished cries and wails!
The train was fading fast,
It was slipping from the rails!

As the fireman threw coal on the fire,
As he put all steam ahead.
He fought, and won that last battle,
... and he did it for our dead...

The sight was a sad picture, as the train breached that last hill,
And the weeping of the town folks, any heart would quickly still.
The sky was breaking thunder, leaving in its image,
the train, broken and scarred,
And its breaks were melting line, as it pulled up fast and hard!

Now, at the dead of midnight, the town would heave no sigh,
For every single one had been taken, and the train had Not passed by.
And the old men stand by quietly, refusing to let themselves cry,
As though by wishing hard enough, this hellish dream would die...

The cargo was unloaded, and though the train was drawn and spent,
It fed its eternal fire, and on its way it went...

The dead are buried now, no one left to mourn their past,
But the memory of it lingers, coming hard and going fast...

And though the time has passed slowly, and it's all now but a dream,
I can still hear that engine, picking up a little steam...
And am called upon to remember, that all's not what it may seem,
As out at the Ten Mile Crossing,
I hear the that lonesome whistles scream.

With Equescent thoughts...
FroznChild

bravo (claps loudly) bravo
encore!!!

wow that took forever to read.. but was great.. keep up the good work

Hey mirror mirror... Good to see you... You're always so quick!

amazing as always

I hear the that lonesome whistles scream
I think I can,, I think I can,,, Sorry just what popped into my head,,,

Most awesome,, Realed me in,, Soft breaths,, waiting in anticipation of what happens next,,, Left me feeling in awe

Once again I am amazed
Keep it up man
You nailed that one for sure

Lmao... It may be a day or two (or even a little while) before I can produce an encore for this one...
Took me all night to write!

You're so slow!!!!

Great write, from an old soul (yeah, we can recognize each other)

Excellent work brother, excellent



~D

that's because he doesn't really read them.

Well thank you Redhead, for reading the whole thing... I appreciate... The longer poems are the ones hardest to get critique on... Lol. (cause most people don't like to read that much)
SO, I really appreciate your response, happy you enjoyed it!

Lmao.. I've thought that on occasion...
but a post is a post! ha ha.
(how are you tonight, hiker)?

Pkh.. so good to see you... and thank you of course!
sweetness.

You are just too kind Lamom.... such sweet words that you have left me with... I just don't know what to say!

As always AMAZING
I really enjoy reading your writings
Keep them up

Thank you... Trying to keep it up, running ahead at all times, lol.

Den, so great of you to show up and make me look bad! lol. j/k...
Thanks bro!

Wow kiddo you are good!

Thank you Miss Teddy! love the personals....