sudden poems from wandering SW Asia anonymously – usually by train, often accompanied by a Lomo photo
From the tribes to Pistol-lock
Safety switched to off
Rails change gauges
Locomotive rusts behind a fence
The Oiler crouches low
With cartridges on hand
Washes dingy mangoes
Water tank strapped low
By silver wheels
3 coins for admittance
Or 17 with dry powder
Ignition proves difficult
With the absence of a fuse
Get your basket to the platform
Before the diesel glows
The wheels stutter, shovels put away
Replaced by urgency
##
from Towns and Trains, Sudden poems 2016-2018
Inventory:
Folding tray with snacks: dried mangoes, cashews, chewing gum, this very notebook, cork covered sardine can camera with expired 35mm Fujifilm, headphones, diazepam, food delivered by an unhappy hostess, strange spicy clams, instant cup rice and a sort of curry sauce.
##
from Towns and Trains, Sudden poems 2016-2018
Railroads for the sinews
To connect the culture loosely
Rust gives way to polish
Simply by rolling along
Carriages painted blue
But each with a vague distinction
Letters to denote the occupants
Desired by the chairs
##
from Towns and Trains, Sudden poems 2016-2018
Lavender please save me
From the poison i’ve inhaled
Before finds a way to my heart strings
Or blinds my weary eyes
To cut or chop
The offending parts
Trim away the excess
Guarding your inner heart
##
from Towns and Trains, Sudden poems 2016-2018
Repainting a sign to Lamphum
Scraping first, flakes land on bricks
Paint won’t stick in the rain
##
from Towns and Trains, Sudden poems 2016-2018
Tom Waits warbles low
This train isn’t downtown bound
I know the city but not the name
##
from Towns and Trains, Sudden poems 2016-2018
This train was made in Japan
In the middle of last century
Last night’s was Chinese livery
Rolling past Siam’s majesty
This photo is omnipresent
Framed with bunting black and white
3 inches higher than the crown prince
His life largely a untold
Childhood snapshots
Like a young Kennedy
3 wives in Germany
Spangled golden robes
Draping enough to hide
##
from Towns and Trains, Sudden poems 2016-2018
Observed:
hemp, cultivated and railside,
in splendid green adundance
##
from Towns and Trains, Sudden poems 2016-2018
I document in my diary
But i often miss a day or two
I‘ll fill in the blanks eventually
The same i do with you
##
from Towns and Trains, Sudden poems 2016-2018
Passports validated
To remain without leave
Stamped with inky splots
Alarmed at first but the Army guys just ask for a photo
The stations slow for security guards and a man with boxes
Tickets checked, no one next to me.
##
from Towns and Trains, Sudden poems 2016-2018