Lynne Potts

The Train Keeps

The train keeps — windows silvered

sky scissors cut on black-out as back drop:

moon and caboose. Keep a light on.

Click a dee click [ ]

Click a dee click [ ].

Slot between cars. Giant mesa walls

Rails and silver dash as doors

the train keeps closed. [ ] Clickered

stainless clasp [ ]. Let’s do the diner.

Around bends we lose the caboose.

Buffalo on lamp [ ] shade like buzzards.

Keep track. Brackets in moon light

between mountain [ ] wall stones round

canyon echo, echo. [ ][ ]

Diner soup salt and pepper,

silver salver with French baguette.

Cigarette.

Snack car in two-four time. Sleepers too.

You choose. Take what keeps pace. I wander

off [ ] ponder caboose as lost sleep

a way to keep track of where I’ve been

and couldn’t: [ ] again.

First published in Orange Quarterly