O at the Edges

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

Boxcar

Posted on August 15, 2017 by robert okaji

Boxcar

Whose voice lingers
among the gathered stones,

raised then lowered as if
to ensnare followers?

This is not the issue.
Nor should we speak of paper

shuddering in the wind
and the dense glare of shovels

in the night underfoot.
Pray that the road continues

beyond the next curve
or increment of time.

Trust in motion,
the reticence of trees.

“Boxcars” first appeared here in November 2015. It had been moldering in a folder for three decades when I uncovered it. I have no idea what originally sparked it.

23 thoughts on “Boxcar”

Abhijith Padmakumar on August 14, 2017 at 7:15 am said:

Great post Robert. I just loved your thoughts so much !! 😊

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- robert okaji on August 14, 2017 at 9:43 am said:
  
  Thank you, Abhijith!
  
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  - Abhijith Padmakumar on August 14, 2017 at 9:45 am said:
    
    You are welcome 😊. Your blog is really awesome and inspiring. You have a great gift within you.Please continue blogging and inspire people around you 😊. And if you can please do visit my blog and let me know about it. It would be really helpful 😊. This is the link to my blog
    
    http:// authorabhijith.com
    
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writteninthestars2016 on August 14, 2017 at 7:30 am said:

This is great. 🌟

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- robert okaji on August 14, 2017 at 9:44 am said:
  
  Thank you!
  
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ivors20 on August 14, 2017 at 9:22 am said:

I had that rolling feeling, especially the line “beyond the next curve or increment of time”

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- robert okaji on August 14, 2017 at 9:45 am said:
  
  Thank you, Ivor. I hope you’re not prone to motion sickness. 🙂
  
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ivors20 on August 14, 2017 at 9:47 am said:

Haha, sea-sickness

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- robert okaji on August 14, 2017 at 9:53 am said:
  
  I’ve managed to avoid such illness. Knock on wood…
  
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sarahrussellpoetry on August 14, 2017 at 10:44 am said:

And here I thought I was the only one who had folders of moldering poems… Glad you dusted it off, Robert.

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- robert okaji on August 14, 2017 at 10:53 am said:
  
  There aren’t as many as there used to be…
  
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Allie on August 14, 2017 at 12:56 pm said:

Beautiful! Oh so haunting

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- robert okaji on August 14, 2017 at 1:33 pm said:
  
  Thank you, Allie. Much appreciated.
  
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Frederick Ostrovskis-Wilkes on August 14, 2017 at 2:05 pm said:

Really enjoyed this Robert, some very poignant imagery! Can’t wait to read more.

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- robert okaji on August 14, 2017 at 2:28 pm said:
  
  I’m so pleased you liked it, Fred. Thank you.
  
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memadtwo on August 14, 2017 at 4:02 pm said:

I’ve been considering how time travels. I hadn’t thought of trains, but of course it does. (K)

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- robert okaji on August 15, 2017 at 11:04 am said:
  
  I just try to grab hold of something and hang on.
  
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Christos Polydorou on August 15, 2017 at 9:40 am said:

Excellent poetic voice. Very impressive.

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- robert okaji on August 15, 2017 at 11:05 am said:
  
  Thank you, Christos.
  
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cphickey77 on August 15, 2017 at 9:47 am said:

I love the romance of boxcars. they’re metaphorical meat is powerful.

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- robert okaji on August 15, 2017 at 11:06 am said:
  
  They bear a lot of baggage, so to speak. 🙂
  
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C.J. Black on August 15, 2017 at 11:22 am said:

Even if you are not a country music fan “The Boxcar” inspired many a great song and ‘created’ Boxcar Willie!

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- robert okaji on August 15, 2017 at 11:30 am said:
  
  There certainly are a lot of train songs out there.
  
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