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FINAL JOURNEY

Layers of memory revived

like the clouds and steam

drifting in a journey behind glass

travelling as before

always in second class.

 

Savouring one last visit to the past

peppered with loving detail

of mad rail highway vistas

fellow passengers

bound together by impending death

sharing one final wish fulfilment

like a last cigarette.

 

Then a ticket collector came

calling out everyone's name.

"Many happy returns," I said

and many laughed,

but none seemed jarred

by casual humour misplaced.

 

And the loco lurched in its hot channel

to take on a breathless viaduct with distant views

almost too impressive to bear.

◄ GENTLEMEN'S RELISH

SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE ►

Comments

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raypool

Mon 29th Jun 2020 17:00

Nearly missed your comment sorry Jennifer. Reading this back I think my first verse just hit a rolling metre. I have to try humour most of the time. Thanks!

Ray

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jennifer Malden

Mon 22nd Jun 2020 13:53

Hi Ray! Amusing but also moving as well. Agree with Mortimer about the extremely perceptive first part. So often it's like that!

Jennifer

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raypool

Mon 22nd Jun 2020 13:16

Thanks Graham and Stephen for liking this.

Mortimer, very nice to know . To draw in a reader to your world is a success in my book. Nice uplifting comment!

Ray

MortimerBlooming

Sat 20th Jun 2020 08:23

drifting in a journey behind glass
travelling as before
always in second class.

That really is always how it is, isn't it.

One of the best poems, I have read today quite literally.

Can't tell you how much I love this one Ray.

Mortimer

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