O at the Edges

Musings on poetry, language, perception, numbers, food, and anything else that slips through the cracks.

The Trains I Know

Posted on July 12, 2015 by robert okaji

The Trains I Know

The trains I know
seek solitude
in darkness,

they wear
wind and cold
with pride,

are never
lonely.
Sometimes they

sing too loud,
or mourn
harshly a

star’s fall, but
they never
deny their

purpose: to
draw between
and connect,

to witness and
serve, to bear
and endure

our unsought
burdens
to the end.

64 thoughts on “The Trains I Know”

avixenatgloaming on July 12, 2015 at 9:06 am said:

❤

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 3:51 pm said:
  
  Thank you.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
xhibitmagazine on July 12, 2015 at 10:12 am said:

Reblogged this on xHibit Magazine.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 3:51 pm said:
  
  Thank you for reblogging.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
nananoyz on July 12, 2015 at 10:20 am said:

You captured trains perfectly!

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 3:52 pm said:
  
  I enjoy trains. Thank you.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
Jasbir Chatterjee on July 12, 2015 at 10:25 am said:

I always love poems on trains and this one is also great. Trains are always associated with so much emotion and feeling…

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 3:52 pm said:
  
  They seem to carry much with them.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
Melissa Shaw-Smith on July 12, 2015 at 10:54 am said:

Love this! Trains always hold a strong place in my imagination. They combine the wonders of travel and romance, with grit and industry.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 3:53 pm said:
  
  I don’t see many passenger trains, but marvel at the long freight trains passing by.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
Berna on July 12, 2015 at 10:57 am said:

Wonderful. When I first visited the continent, I was blown away by the IDEA of trains. Your poem captures this well.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 3:55 pm said:
  
  One of these days I’ll schedule a train trip. It’s been a long, long time.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
Rob McShane on July 12, 2015 at 11:36 am said:

Another beaut. Robert!

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 3:56 pm said:
  
  Thanks, as always, Rob.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
Theanne aka magnoliamoonpie on July 12, 2015 at 11:49 am said:

🙂

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 3:56 pm said:
  
  🙂 back atcha.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
Edwin Best on July 12, 2015 at 12:13 pm said:

A lovely tribute to a wonderful form of travel. What is it about trains – rails! The certainty of route! We trust them – “they never deny their purpose” – enjoyed this no end.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 3:57 pm said:
  
  The certainty of route – yes! Thanks very much., Edwin.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
BLaine Robert Parker on July 12, 2015 at 1:21 pm said:

Reblogged this on D. Blaine 's Space.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 3:57 pm said:
  
  Thanks for reblogging.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
- BLaine Robert Parker on July 12, 2015 at 4:01 pm said:
  
  The word “Solotude” and “Trains” is very liked …
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
  - robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 4:07 pm said:
    
    Glad you like them.
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
    
    Reply ↓
hallenterprises132 on July 12, 2015 at 3:48 pm said:

I miss the trains I used to take to work when we lived in the Chicago metro area. Slept on the trains on the way to work. Was safer back in 1997. Would not dare sleeping on them now!

The switches on the tracks would sometimes freeze up. Made getting around a little more difficult during the height of winter. Remember the snow plows on the engines cutting through several feet of snow at a time! Was fun to ride.
Jeanette Hall

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 3:59 pm said:
  
  Frozen switches! Yes, I imagine that would make getting around more difficult.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
gwpj on July 12, 2015 at 4:20 pm said:

I can hear the train rolling by our house in central Illinois where we lived from 1964-1966 while i was in graduate school.

LikeLike

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 5:56 pm said:
  
  I have nothing but fond memories of hearing trains – even when I lived a stone’s throw away from the tracks.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
Pleasant Street on July 12, 2015 at 5:26 pm said:

I’ve known many trains. It’s an old love.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 5:57 pm said:
  
  These days the trains and I seem to be passing acquaintances.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
  - Pleasant Street on July 12, 2015 at 6:06 pm said:
    
    It’s been awhile for me as well
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
    
    Reply ↓
Mary Tang on July 12, 2015 at 5:36 pm said:

Train of thought.

LikeLiked by 2 people

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 12, 2015 at 5:57 pm said:
  
  Mine, alas, often derail!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
10000hoursleft on July 13, 2015 at 1:42 am said:

Trains of thought! ha! just noticed a comment above said the same thing! I love the first photo- morgue files? You have a knack for matching your photos to your poems like a sommelier matches cheese to wine. I discovered morgue files through your blog but I find I spend far too much time trying to find an image that isn’t too literal.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 13, 2015 at 5:03 am said:
  
  Yes, morguefiles. I, too, spend too much time finding images. I’ll often find one by searching for something only tangentially related, or even abstract. Funny how the mind works!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
simonfalk28 on July 13, 2015 at 3:07 am said:

Robert, I love this poem and its accompanying pics. Our family have been a railway family. It really strikes a chord with me.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 13, 2015 at 5:06 am said:
  
  Thank you, Simon. The pics are from morguefile.com, but seemed appropriate.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
simonfalk28 on July 13, 2015 at 3:09 am said:

Reblogged this on Simon's still stanza and commented:
Robert’s ‘O at the Edges’ is a great poetry blog. This post of his sits really well with my ‘railway family’.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 13, 2015 at 5:16 am said:
  
  Thank you for reblogging this, Simon. Much appreciated.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
  - simonfalk28 on July 13, 2015 at 8:38 pm said:
    
    My pleasure.
    
    LikeLike
    
    Reply ↓
krysiakorsak on July 13, 2015 at 4:22 am said:

Never take anything for granted or underestimate the beauty to be found in all things! This is just lovely…so much passion and emotion! Thank you! 🙂

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 13, 2015 at 5:17 am said:
  
  Thank you, Krys. The beauty is out there. We just have to look.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
  - krysiakorsak on July 13, 2015 at 5:21 am said:
    
    Indeed, clean our glasses and shift our mindset! 🙂
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
    
    Reply ↓
john hauge on July 13, 2015 at 6:38 am said:

to me, one of the most comforting things in life, is a train whistle at night.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 13, 2015 at 11:55 am said:
  
  I’ve always thought so, too.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
CaughtInTheClouds on July 13, 2015 at 10:28 am said:

This is perfect. So perfect 🙂

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 13, 2015 at 11:56 am said:
  
  Thanks so much.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
Cyn Bagley on July 13, 2015 at 11:20 am said:

Beautiful poem – very haunting

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 13, 2015 at 11:56 am said:
  
  Thank you, Cyn. I’m pleased you found it so.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
MisT on July 13, 2015 at 8:07 pm said:

You write beautifully

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 13, 2015 at 8:14 pm said:
  
  Thank you!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
Athena on July 13, 2015 at 9:26 pm said:

Lovely! I’m envious of your ability to compress so much into as few words as possible.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 14, 2015 at 5:39 am said:
  
  Thank you, Athena.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
projectwords11 on July 14, 2015 at 6:19 am said:

Love this Robert!

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 14, 2015 at 7:17 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply ↓
Sunshine Jansen on July 14, 2015 at 10:36 am said:

You know me and trains, RO; you had me at the title alone. 🙂 Mostly I hear freight trains too but I’m about to hear that song from the inside again in exactly one week from today, so this has pushed my readiness up another notch. A poem almost always comes of those trips; hard to resist!

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 14, 2015 at 7:56 pm said:
  
  I envy your upcoming trip, SJ. Can’t wait to see the poem. I may have a few train poems left in me, as well. 🙂
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
nemi on July 19, 2015 at 12:54 am said:

Bruh, this is so deep. Now during my daily commute I’ll just be sitting there contemplating life and wondering if i ever use people… JEEZ.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 26, 2015 at 7:58 am said:
  
  You are very generous. Thank you.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
Meera on July 19, 2015 at 12:10 pm said:

I love trains. I guess this poem is about freight trains. They are lonely souls.. Passenger trains on the other hand are happy entities- filled with people and hope!

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on July 26, 2015 at 8:00 am said:
  
  My passenger trains might differ from yours!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
Pingback: steel rails | Another Way of Saying
Pingback: steel rails | Another Way of Saying
Daniel Schnee on December 26, 2015 at 10:06 pm said:

This is really beautiful!! I seriously think you are the American equivalent of a jūyō mukei bunkazai hojisha… otherwise known as a ‘Ningen Kokuho’ (人間国宝 – living national treasure) – a person who preserves an important intangible heritage. You, sir, are a Kakko Nintei… I once again gassho rei to you with great enthusiasm…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_National_Treasure_(Japan)

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply ↓
- robert okaji on December 26, 2015 at 10:37 pm said:
  
  Daniel-san, you honor me too much. I am a poet of the backyard and streets, nothing more. But thank you.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply ↓
Pingback: Let’s Be 果敢!! | I Am Daniel Schnee

Leave a comment Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.